By Friday Temitope Eugenia
National News – Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has said the National Assembly will this week pass the constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police, describing the move as a necessary response to Nigeria’s growing security challenges.
Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District, disclosed this in an interview with The PUNCH, stating that lawmakers had concluded consultations with key stakeholders and were ready to fast-track the amendment process.
According to him, the National Assembly has resolved to separate the state police proposal from other constitutional amendments to ensure its speedy passage and transmission to the 36 state Houses of Assembly for ratification.
“We have reached a firm conclusion that we will pass the constitutional amendment to make provision for state police, and this will come to fruition this week. There is no reason for further delay,” he said.
The Senate Leader said extensive consultations had been held with the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Constitutional Review, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, the Chief of Staff to the President, the Inspector-General of Police and other relevant stakeholders.
He expressed confidence that the proposal would receive the backing of state legislatures, noting that the President and the majority of state governors were in support of the initiative.
Bamidele also defended the Senate’s decision to reject calls for a fresh probe of military spending, arguing that such an investigation could undermine ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
He said the National Assembly already carries out oversight of defence spending through its standing committees on the Army, Navy, Air Force and Defence, stressing that sensitive military operations should not be subjected to public scrutiny during wartime.
The lawmaker maintained that Nigeria was making progress in the fight against insecurity despite the recent wave of attacks, attributing the renewed violence to the pressure being mounted on criminal groups by security forces.
On the anti-terrorism bill and the proposed death penalty for convicted kidnappers, Bamidele said the legislation remained a priority and would be concluded alongside other pending constitutional amendments.
Addressing criticisms that the 10th National Assembly operates as a “rubber stamp” legislature, the Senate Leader insisted that lawmakers had worked collaboratively with the executive while resolving disagreements through private engagements rather than public confrontations.
He also called for greater transparency in the remuneration of public office holders, urging the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission to publish the salaries and allowances of legislators, ministers and other government officials.
Bamidele acknowledged that insecurity and economic hardship remained major challenges facing the country but argued that several legislative interventions, including tax reforms and the establishment of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and the Ministry of Livestock, were aimed at easing the burden on citizens.
