The African Democratic Congress has urged the House of Representatives to recommit the proposed constitutional amendment seeking to establish state police, alleging that the bill was passed through a process that violated constitutional procedures.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party claimed that the constitutional threshold required to pass the amendment was only achieved by counting votes allegedly submitted through WhatsApp by lawmakers who were absent from the chamber, as well as including legislators who had signed the attendance register but were no longer present during voting.
The ADC argued that constitutional amendments must strictly follow laid-down legal procedures, warning that any deviation could undermine the legitimacy of the proposed state police framework.
“The Constitution is not amended by convenience. It is amended through strict procedures that leave no room for improvisation,” the statement said, adding that regardless of the importance of the proposed amendment, due process must not be compromised.
While reiterating its support for the creation of state police as a solution to Nigeria’s growing security challenges, the party maintained that such a significant constitutional reform must be transparent, inclusive and fully compliant with constitutional provisions.
According to the ADC, reports from lawmakers present during the July 23 plenary suggested that WhatsApp messages were recognised as valid votes in determining whether the bill met the constitutional requirement for passage. It also questioned the alleged counting of lawmakers who had left the chamber before the vote was taken.
The party described the allegations as raising “serious legal and constitutional concerns.”
Beyond the voting process, the ADC also criticised the handling of the bill during consideration, alleging that clause-by-clause scrutiny was rushed and constitutional objections raised by some lawmakers were not adequately addressed.
Abdullahi stressed that constitutional amendments require openness, extensive debate and strict adherence to both the Constitution and the House Standing Orders, insisting that those standards were not met during the consideration of the state police proposal.
The party further argued that the latest version of the bill introduces major policy changes capable of reshaping Nigeria’s security architecture but has not received sufficient public scrutiny through a comprehensive engagement process.
According to the ADC, the objective should not merely be the establishment of another police institution but the creation of an effective security framework capable of addressing the country’s worsening insecurity.
Warning against what it described as legislative haste, the party said Nigeria should avoid passing constitutional amendments that could later require reversal due to inadequate consultation.
It therefore called on the House of Representatives to recommit the bill to a fresh legislative process that guarantees constitutional compliance, transparency and broad stakeholder participation before its final passage.
The House of Representatives passed the constitutional amendment bill on July 23 as part of broader efforts to reform Nigeria’s policing system and strengthen internal security.
The proposed state police framework remains one of the most significant constitutional reforms before the National Assembly. Supporters believe it would improve community policing and intelligence gathering, while critics fear it could be abused by state governors for political purposes unless adequate constitutional safeguards are put in place.
