Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has urged the Federal Government to delay the implementation of State Police until after the 2027 general election, warning that the new policing system could be exploited for political purposes if introduced before the polls.
The development was disclosed in a statement posted on Obi’s official page.
According to Obi, implementing the new State Police law before the next general election could allow governors to deploy state-controlled police forces to intimidate political opponents, disrupt opposition activities and influence elections.
“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. In view of that possibility and the danger it poses to the polity, it is necessary to defer its implementation until after the general election,” he stated.
Obi said the passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly was a commendable step towards addressing Nigeria’s security challenges, noting that security experts and many Nigerians had long advocated decentralised policing because of the country’s size and complexity.
He, however, criticised the legislative process, arguing that a law of such national importance should have involved broader public consultation.
“The process should involve greater community participation. Policing should be more visible at the local government and community levels,” he said.
Obi also called for the establishment of independent state-level Police Service Commissions insulated from executive influence, arguing that such oversight bodies would prevent state police from serving political interests.
“For state policing to evolve from a risky political gamble into a genuine security solution, the law must not only permit states to establish police forces but also clearly provide for independent oversight bodies… to ensure that policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite,” he said.
