By Anayo Akwitti
The National Assembly has received approval reports from 28 State Houses of Assembly for the proposed constitutional amendment seeking to establish State Police Services in Nigeria.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, confirming that the number of approving states has exceeded the constitutional requirement for the amendment to proceed.
According to the statement, the bill was transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026, for consideration and approval, with a 30-day deadline for communicating their decisions to the National Assembly.
Although the deadline elapsed on October 15, Ogunlana said his office would continue to receive reports from state assemblies until the bill is transmitted for presidential assent.
He explained that the 28 approvals secured exceeded the constitutionally required two-thirds majority of the 36 state assemblies, representing at least 24 states, as stipulated under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.
The Clerk said his office had also completed the necessary administrative verification of the reports and accompanying Votes and Proceedings to establish their authenticity and confirm that they accurately reflected the decisions of the respective state assemblies.
Ogunlana further clarified that Section 9 of the Constitution does not expressly require a Third Reading for a Constitution Alteration Bill, unlike the procedure applicable to ordinary bills.
He said the necessary administrative processes were underway to facilitate the transmission of the bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent in accordance with the Acts Authentication Act, 2004.
The proposed amendment is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and deepen the country’s federal system by providing a constitutional framework for the establishment of state police.
The National Assembly, in the statement, appreciated the cooperation of the state assemblies and pledged to provide timely updates on the constitutional amendment process.
