By Temidire Adefolarin
National Assembly prepares to forward proposed security reform to Tinubu after state legislatures surpass the constitutional approval threshold.
Nigeria's proposed transition towards a decentralised policing system has recorded a major breakthrough, with 28 State Houses of Assembly endorsing the constitutional amendment seeking to establish state police services.
The National Assembly confirmed that the approvals have met the constitutional requirement for advancing the proposed reform and that arrangements are underway to transmit the bill to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent.
The development was announced in a statement signed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the amendment, formally known as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, is designed to provide the constitutional foundation for State Police Services and address related matters.
The proposal was circulated to all 36 state legislatures on September 16, 2026, with a 30-day deadline for them to consider its provisions and communicate their decisions to the National Assembly.
Although the deadline expired on October 15, Ogunlana said his office would continue to accept submissions from state assemblies until the bill is formally forwarded for presidential assent.
Following the receipt and examination of the reports, the National Assembly established that 28 states had endorsed the proposed amendment, surpassing the minimum number required under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.
The constitutional provision requires approval from at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly, meaning that support from 24 states is sufficient to meet the stipulated threshold for a constitutional alteration.
The Clerk further disclosed that the National Assembly had examined the submissions, including the accompanying records of votes and proceedings, to confirm that they were authentic and accurately represented the decisions of the respective state legislatures.
He also clarified that Section 9 of the Constitution does not specifically make a Third Reading compulsory for a Constitution Alteration Bill, unlike the legislative procedure governing ordinary bills.
With the required number of state endorsements secured, the National Assembly said it had commenced the necessary administrative steps to forward the proposed amendment to President Tinubu for assent.
The transmission will be carried out in accordance with the Acts Authentication Act, CAP A2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The proposed establishment of state police represents an important constitutional reform that could reshape Nigeria's policing structure by providing for state-level police services within the country's federal system.
The National Assembly commended the state legislatures for their cooperation and participation in the process, describing the approvals as a significant development in the country's efforts to strengthen its security architecture.
It also pledged to keep the public informed about subsequent developments as the constitutional amendment moves towards the presidential assent stage.
Temidire Adefolarin
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