ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, for the 2027 election, Peter Obi, has called for the implementation of state police to be postponed until after the 2027 general elections, warning that introducing the system before the polls could expose it to political abuse.
Obi argued that although the establishment of state police remains a necessary constitutional reform, the current legislative process lacks transparency and adequate public participation, raising concerns over its credibility and possible political motives.
The former Anambra State governor made his position known on Friday in a statement posted on his X handle while reacting to the recent passage of the State Police Bill by the Senate.
According to the former Labour Party presidential candidate, decentralising policing has long been advocated by security experts, regional leaders and other stakeholders because Nigeria’s highly centralised policing structure is no longer suitable for a country with its size, diversity and security challenges.
“The recent passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly marks a significant legislative milestone in addressing a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people. For years, many of us, alongside security experts and regional stakeholders, have consistently argued that a highly centralised policing structure is fundamentally unsuitable for a country as vast, diverse, and complex as Nigeria. However, the legislative and constitutional implementation appears shaky and raises legitimate concerns,” Obi said.
He criticised the manner in which the legislation was processed, insisting that Nigerians should have been given greater opportunities to participate in discussions on such an important constitutional reform.
“The process should involve greater community participation. Policing should be more visible at the local government and community levels. The mechanism for passing the law appears highly disorganised, with no public hearing on such a sensitive issue. Indeed, the rush to enact the law without proper legislative procedures fuels suspicion among many observers about the political motives behind it,” he stated.
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Obi also warned that the greatest concern surrounding state police is not its logistics but the possibility of political interference by state governors.
“The greatest concern does not arise from logistical issues; it stems from history. There is a widespread, justifiable fear that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of governors. The suspicion is that a state-controlled police force could be weaponised to suppress political rivals, disrupt opposition rallies, and manipulate elections,” he said.
To prevent such abuse, Obi called for the establishment of independent oversight institutions capable of insulating state police from executive control.
“For state policing to evolve from a risky political gamble into a genuine security solution, the law must not only permit states to establish police forces but also clearly provide for independent oversight bodies, such as a state-level Police Service Commission that is entirely free from executive influence, to ensure that policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite,” he added.
The former presidential candidate further expressed doubts about the Federal Government’s ability to resist using state policing as a political tool ahead of the next general election.
“Going by what Nigerians have seen so far, there is no guarantee that this administration can resist the temptation to take advantage of state policing to influence the 2027 general election by proxy.
“In view of that possibility and the danger it poses to the polity, it is necessary to defer its implementation until after the general election. A New Nigeria is Possible,” Obi said.
His intervention comes amid renewed national debate over the proposed establishment of state police, with supporters arguing that decentralised policing would strengthen grassroots security and improve intelligence gathering, while critics continue to warn that the system could be abused for political purposes unless backed by strong constitutional safeguards and independent oversight mechanisms.