Shelve State Police Until After 2027 Election, Obi Tells Tinubu

Peter Obi and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Shelve State Police Until After 2027 Election, Obi Tells Tinubu

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, has urged President Bola Tinubu to postpone the implementation of the newly passed State Police framework until after the 2027 general election, warning that the initiative could be exploited for partisan purposes if introduced before the polls .

Obi made the call in a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, June 26, 2026, titled “State Police: Commendable Step, but Disorderly Legislation Raises Concerns of Political Misuse” . His intervention comes barely days after the Senate passed the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police, a landmark reform aimed at decentralising Nigeria’s policing system in response to growing insecurity across the country .

Obi began by acknowledging the significance of the legislative milestone. He noted that the passage of the State Police Bill represents a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people, as many security experts and regional stakeholders have consistently argued that a highly centralised policing structure is fundamentally unsuitable for a country as vast, diverse, and complex as Nigeria . “For years, many of us, alongside security experts and regional stakeholders, have consistently argued that a highly centralised policing structure is fundamentally unsuitable for a country as vast, diverse, and complex as Nigeria,” Obi stated .

However, the former Anambra State governor criticised what he described as a flawed and disorderly legislative process that lacked adequate public participation and transparency . He expressed concern that such a sensitive constitutional amendment was rushed through without proper public hearings, which has fuelled suspicion among observers about the political motives behind the initiative . “The mechanism for passing the law appears highly disorganised, with no public hearing on such a sensitive issue. Indeed, the rush to enact the law without proper legislative procedures fuels suspicion among many observers about the political motives behind it,” he said . Obi maintained that such a far-reaching security reform required extensive engagement with citizens and stakeholders, insisting that policing should be more visible at the community and local government levels .

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Obi said his greatest concern was not logistical issues but the possibility that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of governors to intimidate political opponents, disrupt opposition activities, and manipulate elections . He cited Nigeria’s political history as justification for this fear, warning that a state-controlled police force could be weaponised against political rivals . “The greatest concern does not arise from logistical issues; it stems from history. There is a widespread, justifiable fear that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of governors. The suspicion is that a state-controlled police force could be weaponised to suppress political rivals, disrupt opposition rallies, and manipulate elections,” he warned .

To guard against such abuses, Obi called for the establishment of independent oversight institutions insulated from executive interference before state police become operational . He proposed the creation of state-level Police Service Commissions that are entirely free from executive influence to ensure that policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite . “For state policing to evolve from a risky political gamble into a genuine security solution, the law must not only permit states to establish police forces but also clearly provide for independent oversight bodies, such as a state-level Police Service Commission that is entirely free from executive influence, to ensure that policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite,” he said .

Obi further expressed doubts that the current administration would resist the temptation to use state policing to influence the 2027 general election by proxy, given what Nigerians have witnessed so far . He argued that implementing the new State Police law before the next general election could allow governors to deploy state-controlled police forces to intimidate political opponents and influence electoral outcomes . “Going by what Nigerians have seen so far, there is no guarantee that this administration can resist the temptation to take advantage of state policing to influence the 2027 general election by proxy. In view of that possibility and the danger it poses to the polity, it is necessary to defer its implementation until after the general election,” Obi stated . He concluded his statement with his trademark slogan: “A New Nigeria is Possible” .

The Senate on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, passed the landmark Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police across the federation, marking a major step in Nigeria’s decades-long debate over decentralising the country’s policing structure . The bill was approved after a clause-by-clause consideration during plenary and secured the support of more than two-thirds of senators through a manual voting process after the electronic voting system crashed . The proposed constitutional amendment empowers states to establish and operate their own police services, while retaining a Federal Police Service with overarching responsibility for national security, including terrorism, border protection, and other federal offences . The bill now awaits approval by at least 24 state Houses of Assembly before it can be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent and eventual implementation .

The passed bill introduces significant constitutional safeguards to prevent abuse of state police powers by political office holders . Under the proposal, governors would be constitutionally barred from deploying state police services for partisan, ethnic, religious, sectional, or personal purposes . The bill further provides for the establishment of independent State Police Service Commissions in each state to oversee recruitment, promotions, discipline, and general administration . Additionally, federal intervention in state police operations would be permitted only under exceptional circumstances, such as a breakdown of public order, serious violations of fundamental rights, or electoral intimidation, and would require written authorisation by the president subject to Senate oversight .