Lagos Assembly backs constitution amendment

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday joined 24 other State Houses of Assembly in approving the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, a move that clears the path for presidential assent and the eventual establishment of state police.

The plenary, presided over by Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, considered the bill after it was transmitted by the National Assembly for concurrence as required by law.

It will be recalled that the National Assembly formally advanced the ongoing constitutional review process by transmitting the Sixth Alteration Bill to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for review and approval.

The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, said the transmission was in line with Section 9(2) of the Constitution, which provides that any proposed amendment passed by the National Assembly requires concurrence via resolution by at least two-thirds—24 out of 36—of the State Houses of Assembly before it can be presented to the President for assent.

Central among the legislative proposals in the current alteration cycle is the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, which has dominated national discourse in recent months.

The bill seeks to establish a framework for decentralised policing in Nigeria, creating a two-tier structure comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services. The proposal has received presidential backing following the inauguration by President Bola Tinubu of a Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill to develop the legal framework for the reform.

Proponents argue that decentralised policing will bring security closer to the people, improve rapid responses to local security threats, and address peculiar security challenges across states.

During deliberations, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, described the amendment as timely and long overdue.

The Speaker said: “I strongly believe the proposed amendment is a good one for us. For so many years, and at every section by each assembly that has come, we always have a reason to deal with issues that has to do with security of our nation for the security of our people. So, it is a good one for us that this is taking place and happening in this 10th Assembly. Both the Senate and House of Representatives have done their own bits and sent to all Houses of Assembly. I congratulate each one of us.”

Speaking further after the voice vote that adopted the bill, the Speaker commended the National Assembly, but expressed reservations that the current draft still cedes too much control to the Federal Government.

“Even though we are happy that we are having state police, our interest and position has not been well taken care of in this alteration. As you follow, you would realise that the major control still lies at the central. There is a provision that says where there is a conflict between the State Assembly and National Assembly, the federal prevails. But it is still a step forward. I want to believe that there is hope in the future that will give total control to the state,” Obasa said.

He thanked President Tinubu for his firm belief in democratic institutions and for supporting the reform.

“I want to thank the President for his firm belief in democratic institutions. We appreciate him. We commend both the National Assembly and House of Representatives for this move. We are not there yet. We still hope they will do the needful in appropriate time,” he added.

The Speaker also used the opportunity to advocate for a legislative protection mechanism, proposing the establishment of a Parliamentary Police similar to what obtains in the United States.

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“There is no such provision in the state. There should be in the Act provision for the Parliamentary Police as we have in the United States if we are ready to protect the Legislature. Learning from past incident, a government will demolish a parliament just like that because of one person’s interest and desire. For this not to happen again, Parliamentary Police will go a long way in strengthening the legislation,” he said.

The House thereafter adjourned plenary until 9 November 2026.