Members of the opposition caucus staged a walkout over what they described as a violation of legislative procedure.
By Mmesoma Onwuka
365Daily – Proceedings in the House of Representatives turned tense on Thursday during consideration of the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police, as members of the opposition caucus staged a walkout over what they described as a violation of legislative procedure.
The disagreement arose after Speaker Tajudeen Abbas subjected the proposal to a voice vote, rather than taking lawmakers through a clause by clause consideration of the bill.
Minority Leader, Hon. Fred Agbedi and other opposition members attempted to raise concerns over the process, insisting that each provision of the bill should be separately considered before a final decision was taken. Their objections were however, not entertained by the presiding officer.
Following the voice vote, the Speaker ruled in favour of the bill, prompting opposition lawmakers to leave the chamber in protest.
Abbas defended the procedure, maintaining that the constitutional requirement for the amendment had been met. According to him, 276 lawmakers physically registered their support for the proposal, while an additional 35 members participated electronically, bringing the total number of supporters to 311.
He noted that the figure exceeded the two thirds majority required for the passage of a constitutional amendment in the House.
Addressing journalists after the walkout, the Minority Leader clarified that the opposition caucus was not opposed to the creation of state police but was dissatisfied with the manner in which the bill was handled.
According to him, members only sought a detailed consideration of the bill’s provisions to ensure due legislative process was followed.
The state police proposal forms part of broader constitutional reform efforts aimed at addressing Nigeria’s security challenges through a decentralised policing structure.
Supporters argue that the initiative would strengthen local security responses, improve intelligence gathering and enhance community policing, while critics continue to call for safeguards against potential political abuse by state authorities.
As a constitutional amendment, the bill must secure the required support in the National Assembly and receive approval from at least 24 State Houses of Assembly before it can become part of the Constitution.