PRP Opposes State Police, Questions Tinubu Administration’s Credibility

The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has rejected ongoing efforts to establish state police in Nigeria, arguing that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu lacks the credibility, competence and public trust required to oversee such a significant restructuring of the country’s policing system.

The opposition party stated its position on Thursday, a day after the Senate passed a Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police across the federation as part of efforts to tackle worsening insecurity.

In a statement issued by its National Chairman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the PRP described the proposed reform as suspicious and urged Nigerians to oppose it.

According to the party, while Nigeria urgently needs comprehensive reforms of its security institutions, the current administration has not demonstrated the capacity or integrity required to implement such a far-reaching constitutional change.

“The Peoples Redemption Party is deeply concerned over plans by President Tinubu’s administration to procure State Police through constitutional amendment at a time when its credibility and competence are at an unprecedented low level in our democratic history,” Baba-Ahmed stated.

He acknowledged that the government could ultimately secure the constitutional requirements needed to establish state police but maintained that it lacks the moral authority to undertake the reform.

“Going by precedent and record, this administration will almost certainly secure what is needed to amend the Constitution and actualise its desire to establish State Police.

“While Nigeria needs a major review and overhaul of its security, law and order institutions to address national security and create an environment that should raise citizens’ confidence and faith in leaders and critical institutions, this administration lacks the moral assets and the trust of Nigerians to undertake a major shift in the policing structure of the country,” he said.

The PRP further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of failing to effectively manage the nation’s security architecture and argued that the decentralisation of policing powers should not proceed under the current government.

“The APC administration has failed to manage our security structure and institutions. Its plan to engineer the emergence of State Police is suspicious and it should be rejected,” Baba-Ahmed added.

The party urged that any decision on state police should be deferred until after the next general election, arguing that such a critical national issue should be handled by an administration that enjoys broad public confidence and legitimacy.

“The forthcoming election should be a threshold which should be crossed with credibility and popular acclaim before the nation decides on important issues such as state police structures.

“It further advises the current administration to make more efforts towards securing citizens and bringing an end to the nightmare under which we all live,” the statement said.

The Senate on Wednesday approved the Constitution Alteration Bill on state police after a clause-by-clause consideration during plenary.

The proposal secured the support of more than two-thirds of senators through a manual voting process conducted on the floor of the chamber.

Announcing the passage of the bill, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said lawmakers overwhelmingly backed the measure after considering a report presented by the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.

The bill seeks to create a constitutional framework for state police while retaining the powers of the Nigeria Police Force over terrorism, border security and other matters of national importance.

However, before it can become law, the amendment must still secure approval from at least 24 state Houses of Assembly and receive presidential assent.