By Idriss LAWAL
There are fresh indications that the State Assemblies in Nigeria will expressly pass the bill in their states.
This was made known by the Chairman of the Conference of Speakers and Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Dennis Guwor, who said the move marked an important milestone in the national discourse on policing, security and true federalism.
Speaking in Asaba, Delta State capital, he noted that security issues are best tackled at the local level, stressing that communities deserve policing structures that understand their peculiar environments and concerns.
He assured that once the bill gets to the Houses of Assembly as required under Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, it would receive diligent consideration.
Guwor said the Houses of Assembly would engage stakeholders, conduct public hearings where necessary, and deliberate on the proposal in the interest of national unity and the protection of lives and property.
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While commending the Senate for taking a bold step, he urged stakeholders to sustain discussions on the bill with patriotism, facts and a shared commitment to security across the country.
Guwor said the Speakers would work with the National Assembly, the Executive and other relevant agencies of government to ensure the successful passage of constitutional amendments aimed at strengthening democracy and good governance.
Similarly, the Progressive Speakers Forum, in a statement by its chairman, Jigawa House of Assembly Speaker Haruna Aliyu Dangyatin, said state police is a turning point in the quest for a more effective and responsive policing system, which will be supported by all states of the ruling party, APC.
The APC currently controls 28 states out of Nigeria’s 36 states.
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