House Of Reps Picks Date To Vote On State Police Creation

The House of Representatives has picked Thursday, 11th June, as the date to vote on a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish State Police in Nigeria.

Naija News reports that the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Benjamin Kalu, made the disclosure while speaking to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.

He charged all lawmakers to attend Thursday’s plenary to participate in the vote.

According to the lawmaker, the move is part of measures to address rising insecurity in the country. Kalu explained during the press briefing that the House has decided to prioritise the issue of state police ahead of other bills.

He said the House has directed all members who are currently out of Abuja for oversight to suspend such and return to the parliament on Thursday for the voting procedure.

The House bill on State Police is sponsored by the Deputy Speaker and 14 other members of the House.

Recall that the Presidency had last Thursday said significant progress had been made towards the establishment of state police in Nigeria.

The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the constitutional amendments required for the implementation of state police were expected soon.

Gbajabiamila spoke after a consultative meeting on state police convened by the Presidency at the State House, Abuja.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Gbajabiamila said discussions on the state police framework began several months ago following a directive by President Tinubu.

He said the process had now reached the stage of considering the required constitutional amendments.