Minority Caucus in Nigeria’s House of Representatives staged a walkout from plenary at Thursday sitting, protesting the passage of the constitutional amendment Bill seeking to establish State Police in the country.
The caucus accused the House leadership of violating constitutional provisions and the chamber’s Standing Orders.
Addressing journalists shortly after leaving the chamber, the Minority Leader, Fredrick Agbedi, alongside other caucus leaders, insisted that their action was not in opposition to State Police, but against what they described as the abuse of parliamentary procedures.
Speaking on behalf of the caucus, Agbedi said the Speaker, while presiding as Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, ignored clear constitutional requirements governing the alteration of the Constitution.
Agbedi argued that attendance in the House is determined through members’ registers signed on each legislative day and not by names read out during proceedings.
The caucus maintained that constitutional amendment Bills must be considered clause by clause, with each provision supported by a two-thirds majority of members as stipulated in both the Constitution and the House Standing Orders.
The group faulted the decision to merely read the long title of the Bill and determine its passage through a voice vote without detailed consideration of each clause.
According to the lawmakers, they had earlier met with the Speaker and discussed proposed amendments to the Bill, with the Speaker reportedly acknowledging areas where changes could be accommodated.
The Minority Caucus warned that failure to comply with constitutional procedures undermines the credibility of the National Assembly and Nigeria’s democratic institutions, while alleging that the Speaker denied them the opportunity to raise constitutional points of Order before proceeding with the vote.
The lawmakers questioned how the constitutional amendment could validly secure the constitutionally required two-thirds majority after opposition members had walked out of the chamber.
Describing the development as a dangerous precedent, the Minority Caucus accused the ruling APC of eroding the rule of law and weakening democratic institutions.
The Caucus asked Nigerians to remain vigilant, insisting that while they support the establishment of State Police in principle, any constitutional amendment must strictly comply with the provisions of the Constitution and the House Standing Orders.
Meanwhile, at the end of voting, House Speaker announced that 311 members voted in support of the Executive Bill seeking to create State Police.
Giving a breakdown of the process, the Speaker announced that 35 lawmakers voted virtually, while the remaining 276 where physically on ground during the voting.
President Bola Tinubu had last week transmitted the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026 to the House of Representatives.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to create a constitutional pathway for the establishment of State Police Services.
Tinubu in a letter, explained that the proposal builds on the significant work already done by the House and incorporates additional safeguards to ensure that the creation of a dual policing structure to address the nation’s evolving national security challenges can be achieved quickly and effectively to the benefit of all Nigerians.
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Editor: Ken Eseni
