Presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi has expressed support for the creation of state police but warned that implementing the newly passed legislation before the 2027 general election could threaten Nigeria’s democracy and provide room for political abuse.
In a statement following the passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly, Obi described the reform as a commendable step toward addressing Nigeria’s growing insecurity, noting that a centralised policing system has long proved inadequate for a country as large and diverse as Nigeria.
However, he criticised the manner in which the legislation was enacted, saying the process lacked transparency, broad public consultation and legislative scrutiny expected of such a far-reaching constitutional reform.
According to Obi, the absence of public hearings and what he described as the rushed passage of the bill have raised concerns about the political intentions behind the law.
He warned that without strong safeguards, state police forces could be turned into instruments of political intimidation by state governors, potentially being used to suppress opposition parties, disrupt political rallies and influence election outcomes.
Obi insisted that for state policing to succeed, the law must establish truly independent State Police Service Commissions insulated from executive interference to guarantee professionalism, accountability and impartial enforcement of the law.
He further argued that given the country’s current political climate, there is no assurance that state policing would not be exploited to influence the outcome of the 2027 general election by proxy.
Obi therefore called for the implementation of the state police framework to be deferred until after the 2027 general election, insisting that necessary institutional safeguards must first be put in place to prevent abuse.
“State police can become an effective solution to Nigeria’s security challenges, but only if it serves the people rather than the political interests of those in power,” he said, ending his statement with his familiar refrain: “A New Nigeria is POssible.”
