The Rivers House of Assembly on Monday became the first state in Nigeria to endorse the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, seeking to provide a constitutional framework for establishing State Police Services.
All 25 members of the Assembly voted in favour of the bill during plenary, following consultations with their constituents.
The Speaker, Mr Martins Amaewhule, commended members, who are loyal to FCT minister, Nyesom Wike for their consultations which he said informed their decision to support the bill.
Mr Wike is a staunch ally of President Bola Tinubu and had boasted that he would do all to ensure that the president wins Rivers and the FCT, where he is in charge in 2027.
The Opposition fear that the ruling party, APC, would use State Police to intimidate opponents and rig the 2027 elections.
The APC had however said there are no plans to rig the elections.
“We are already aware that over time, Nigerians have been clamouring for an opportunity to have a policing system at the subnational level to complement the federal police,” the speaker however said.
“By this voting, the 10th Assembly is fully in support of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill 2026,” he said.
Amaewhule said the state lawmakers supported efforts by the federal government to prioritise the security of lives and property across the country.
“For us, having police at the subnational level helping the federal police is indeed a welcomed development.
”We believe that we shall work together alongside other state assemblies towards a more efficiently secured nation,” he added.
Amaewhule also said that the bill was expected to create a constitutional pathway for state police services, subject to the provisions of the constitution.
He said that when passed, the amendment would strengthen the National Assembly’s role in prescribing national minimum policing standards.
The speaker explained that the bill contained 26 clauses, with 25 alterations involving substitutions to sections of the principal Act.
He listed Sections 84(4), 89(2), 121(3), 124(4), 109(2), 153(1), 157(2), 158(1) and 160 among the provisions for alteration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Assembly had recently transmitted the state police constitutional amendment bill to the 36 state houses of assembly for consideration and approval.