State Police: Tinubu urges Reps to amend constitution, guard against abuse
President Bola Tinubu on Friday called on members of the House of Representatives to prioritise constitutional amendments that would establish state police, stressing that any such reform must be carefully structured to prevent a repeat of past abuses.
The President made the appeal at an interfaith breaking of fast he hosted for the leadership and members of the House at the State House, Abuja.
Muslim and Christian lawmakers gathered in a symbolic show of unity during the Ramadan and Lenten seasons.
The event marked the third in a series of similar engagements by the President, following earlier dinners with state governors and the leadership of the Senate.
Describing the turnout as a testament to national cohesion, Tinubu said the gathering reflected the importance of unity across party, religious and regional divides.
“It’s a very great honour for me to imagine this beautiful turnout to share in the joy of breaking of the fast both for the Muslims and Christians alike. You don’t celebrate anything else, but this unity given to us by Almighty God,” the President said.
In a light-hearted moment, he joked about asking lawmakers to pay for the dinner before commending the Speaker and members of the House for their leadership and cooperation with the executive.
“I thought I would charge you to pay for the dinner, but nevertheless, you indirectly paid for it. You spoke very well. You spoke as a team leader, a very good leader, and I’m happy to listen to you,” he said, praising what he described as the “richness” and “consciousness” of representation in the chamber.
Reflecting on the early phase of his administration, Tinubu expressed gratitude to lawmakers for standing by his reform agenda, particularly during the turbulent period following the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira.
“It was very difficult at the beginning for people to realise the direction of my thinking. But I’m glad one thing didn’t happen; with the heat from the critics, none of you came to me to say, can you reverse the removal of subsidy, or can you change the foreign exchange flotation of naira? None of you,” he said.
According to the President, the National Assembly’s support at a time of intense public criticism provided the momentum needed to push through reforms he described as foundational to Nigeria’s economic recovery.
“You collaborated, you joined together as a team. You just gave me the inspiration to move on, because the heat was high voltage from the critics, but today, we are better off for it,” he added.
On security, Tinubu acknowledged persistent challenges across parts of the country, noting that lawmakers, as grassroots representatives, often bear the brunt of constituents’ frustrations over local insecurity.
“I see some of you on television going to your localities and face challenges. Now you know, more than anybody else, that security is local,” he said.
Making a strong case for state policing, the President argued that decentralising the country’s security architecture is critical to addressing emerging threats.
However, he cautioned against an unstructured or blanket approach.
“If security is local, we just have to work together to put pressure on our public to accept the need for state police.
“Amend it, not a straight free fall for everybody. Tie it in a way that will not be abused, like in the past. A good legislature must learn from the past to cure the present. On that, I’m ready to work with you,” he said.
Tinubu’s remarks signal a renewed push for constitutional reform aimed at devolving policing powers, a long-debated and often contentious issue in Nigeria’s political discourse.
Earlier, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, who led the House delegation, reaffirmed the legislature’s support for the President’s policies and direction.
“Every member you see here, whether from the majority or from the minority, believes in what you are doing, believes in the direction of this government,” Abbas said.
He added that the administration’s reforms were beginning to yield results and expressed confidence in greater gains ahead.
“By the grace of God, things have started flowing, but I believe we have not even started seeing the best of you. The best of you will come in the next mandate, 2027 to 2031,” the Speaker said.
Credit – Guardian
