Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has cautioned against implementing state police before the 2027 general election, saying the new security arrangement could be exploited for political purposes if introduced ahead of the polls.
Obi made the recommendation on Friday in a statement titled "State Police: Commendable Step, but Disorderly Legislation Raises Concerns of Political Misuse," published on his X handle.
While commending the National Assembly for passing the Constitution Alteration Bill on state police, the former Anambra State governor argued that the timing of its implementation should be reconsidered to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
According to him, establishing state police has long been recognised as a necessary reform to address Nigeria's growing security challenges, but adequate institutional safeguards must be put in place before the new policing structure becomes operational.
"The recent passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly marks a significant legislative milestone in addressing a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people," Obi said.
He recalled that security experts, political leaders and regional stakeholders had consistently advocated decentralised policing, maintaining that Nigeria's highly centralised police system was no longer sufficient for a country of its size and complexity.
Despite supporting the concept, Obi expressed concern over what he described as shortcomings in the legislative and constitutional framework for implementing the reform.
He said stronger guarantees were needed to prevent state police from becoming instruments of political intimidation, particularly during election periods.
To address those concerns, Obi proposed the establishment of independent State Police Service Commissions that would operate outside the influence of state governors and other political office holders.
He maintained that such bodies should oversee recruitment, discipline and operational standards to ensure professionalism and public accountability.
Obi also questioned whether the current administration could resist the temptation to deploy state police to influence political outcomes in the next general election.
"Going by what Nigerians have seen so far, there is no guarantee that this administration can resist the temptation to take advantage of state policing to influence the 2027 general election by proxy," he said.
He therefore urged President Bola Tinubu to defer the implementation of the policy until after the 2027 elections, arguing that doing so would eliminate suspicions of partisan intent and reinforce public confidence in the reform.
The National Assembly recently approved constitutional amendments providing for the establishment of state police as part of efforts to tackle rising insecurity through a decentralised policing system.
The proposal, however, must still secure the approval of at least 24 state Houses of Assembly before it can be transmitted to the President for assent.
The legislation contains provisions designed to prevent abuse of state police by governors, including measures for independent oversight and restrictions on political interference.
Nevertheless, the proposed reform continues to generate debate, with supporters describing it as a crucial step towards improving security, while critics warn that the timing of its implementation could pose risks to Nigeria's democratic process ahead of the 2027 general election.
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