The House of Representatives has passed the State Police Bill after adopting the report of its Committee on Constitution Review.
The bill was approved after 211 lawmakers voted in support of the proposed legislation during plenary.
Presenting the committee’s report, the Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Benjamin Kalu, said the bill would strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
He said that “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Executive Bill made the state police amendment bill easy.”
He said that the bill presents a practical step towards providing Nigeria with a state police law, stressing that the amendment presents an opportunity for the lawmakers to make history.”
He pleaded with members to vote for the bill and join in making history.
In a swift reaction to the passage of the bill, the minority Caucus of the House condemned the process of the passage of the bill.
At a press briefing after walking out of the plenary, the Minority Leader of House, Mr. Frederick Agbedi said the caucus supports the creation of State police but rejected the process adopted by the House, alleging that it breached the 1999 Constitution and the House Standing Orders.
“What we asked for and the only thing we requested was follow due process”. Mr. Agbedi said.
He said that the Caucus would be on the side of Nigerians.
Speaking with newsmen, Agbedi, said the lawmakers left the chamber because they were denied the opportunity to debate and vote on the bill in line with constitutional requirements.
He argued that constitutional alteration bills must be considered clause by clause, with each provision receiving the support of at least two-thirds of members, rather than being decided through a voice vote.
Mr. Agbedi said that the Minority Caucus had discussed proposed amendments with the Speaker and expected to present them during consideration of the bill. Instead, he alleged, the bill was put to a voice vote without allowing lawmakers to move amendments or cast individual votes.
Mr. Agbedi also alleged that the Minority Leader was ruled out of order while attempting to raise a constitutional point of order, prompting the caucus to stage a walkout.
Minority Caucus spokesperson, Afam Ogene, said the House failed to comply with Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, which prescribes the procedure for altering the Constitution.
He argued that the official attendance register should have been used to determine whether the required number of lawmakers participated in the exercise.
“The Constitution is the grand norm. It is the rule book upon which even our Standing Orders derive their strength. To disregard the clear provisions of Section 9(2) is a great affront to the workings of the House of Representatives,” Ogene said.
The Minority Caucus maintained that its protest was against the procedure adopted by the House and not the proposal to establish state police.
