Reps minority caucus walks out over State Police Bill, alleges constitutional violations
House Minority Caucus Stages Walkout Over State Police Constitutional Amendment
The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives staged a walkout Thursday during a plenary session to protest the passage of a constitutional amendment bill aimed at establishing State Police Services across Nigeria.
Opposition lawmakers clarified that their protest was not against the concept of state police itself but rather a response to what they characterized as violations of constitutional provisions and parliamentary procedures during the bill’s consideration.
Minority Leader Fredrick Agbedi spoke with reporters after the walkout, accusing the House leadership of ignoring Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, which outlines the process for amending constitutional bills. He emphasized that such amendments require clause-by-clause consideration and approval by a two-thirds majority of House members. Agbedi noted that the procedures followed for the state police bill did not comply with these requirements.
“The Constitution is the grund norm. It is the rule book from which even our Standing Orders derive their powers. Disregarding its clear provisions is an affront to the workings of the House,” Agbedi stated.
Additionally, the caucus referenced Order 13 Rule 15(a) of the House Rules, which mandates that each clause in the Committee of the Whole must receive the support of at least two-thirds of House members before proceeding to a vote. Lawmakers claimed that Speaker Abbas Tajudeen only read the long title of the bill and subjected it to a voice vote, circumventing detailed consideration of its individual clauses.
According to the opposition, previous discussions with the Speaker on potential amendments had not provided an opportunity for proper deliberation during the session.
While the Minority Caucus expressed its support for establishing state police as part of a strategy to enhance security in Nigeria, they insisted that due process must be adhered to in any constitutional amendments.
In contrast, the House of Representatives approved the bill with 311 lawmakers in favor. Speaker Abbas revealed that 276 members voted in person, while 35 participated virtually.
The approval followed the adoption of a report from the House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
The proposed legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Provide for the Establishment of State Police Services and for Related Matters (HB. 2797),” aims to create state-controlled police formations as part of broader efforts to enhance security and policing across Nigeria.
