Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), has said that the State Police has moved from rhetoric to reality, disclosing that no fewer than 30 State Houses of Assembly have approved the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill, 2026.
Bamidele, who is Vice Chairman of Senate Committee on Review of 1999 Constitution, made disclosure Thursday while delivering lecture to participants of Senior Executive Course 48 at National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos.
He said by Section 9(2) of 1999 Constitution which requires concurrence of not less than two-thirds of state assemblies, the constitutional threshold for alteration has been met.
“What this means is that state police is no longer a campaign promise or subject of endless debate. It is now a constitutional reality,” he said.
He described approval by 30 states as historic milestone after more than 15 years of failed attempts, saying it will re-engineer security architecture to be more responsive, local and effective.
Bamidele said burden now rests on National Assembly to collate reports from state assemblies and pass resolution by simple majority in both chambers for transmission to President for assent.
“We intend to conclude all legislative stages – consideration of reports, passage of resolution and transmission for presidential assent – on or before December 2026,” he said.
He assured reform is not to weaken centre or create state armies, but to build state-led, community-anchored policing within constitutional safeguards, operational standards and human rights protections.
“We will not falter until every Nigerian, whether in Kuru, in Iyin-Ekiti, in Gusau or Yenagoa, can sleep with both eyes closed,” he said, under leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Bamidele also said 10th National Assembly should be judged by impact, not volume of bills, citing strategic laws like Student Loans Act 2024, Minimum Wage Amendment Act 2024, four Tax Reform Acts 2025, Electoral Act 2026 and Regional Development Commissions Acts.
The Senate Leader said good laws alone don’t guarantee good governance, noting laws must be relevant, evidence-based, implementable, funded, monitored and measured by impact on citizens.
He called for stronger partnership between NIPSS and National Assembly for legislative foresight, leveraging institute’s multidisciplinary expertise in policy, strategy, security and economics.