The House of Representatives has withdrawn its proposed constitutional amendment on state police and given a similar Executive-sponsored bill its first and second readings, referring it to the Committee on Constitutional Review for further action.
The House of Representatives has withdrawn its proposed constitutional amendment seeking to establish state police, opting instead to consider a similar bill transmitted by the Executive.
The Punch reported that the development emerged during Tuesday’s plenary, where lawmakers gave the Executive-sponsored state police bill its first and second readings.
Following the readings, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for further legislative action.
The decision effectively suspends the House’s earlier proposal on the matter, as lawmakers shift their attention fully to the Executive-backed amendment.
The Executive bill is now expected to undergo detailed scrutiny at the committee stage, where lawmakers will examine its key provisions before it is returned to the floor for further consideration and possible passage.
The move signals a consolidation of legislative efforts around a single version of the state police bill, rather than having two competing proposals — one from the House and another from the Executive — moving through the National Assembly simultaneously.
By stepping back from its own proposal, the House appears to be streamlining the path towards a definitive legislative outcome on the establishment of state police, a subject that has generated extensive debate among policymakers, security experts, and state governors amid Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.
The Committee on Constitutional Review will now be responsible for reviewing the details of the Executive’s version, gathering inputs, and preparing a report that will guide the House’s next steps before the bill can proceed further in the legislative process.
No timeline has been given for when the committee is expected to conclude its review or when the bill will return to the floor for further debate and possible voting.
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