President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged members of the House of Representatives to fast-track constitutional amendments that would pave the way for the establishment of state police, emphasizing that any reform must be carefully structured to prevent a repeat of past abuses.
The President made the call on Friday evening during an interfaith breaking of fast he hosted for lawmakers at the State House, Abuja. The gathering brought together Muslim and Christian legislators in a symbolic show of unity during the Ramadan and Lenten seasons.
The event marked the third in a series of similar engagements, following earlier Iftar dinners with state governors and members of the Senate earlier in the week.
Describing the turnout as a reflection of national cohesion, Tinubu said the occasion underscored the importance of unity across political, religious, and regional divides.
“It’s a very great honour for me to imagine this beautiful turnout to share in the joy of breaking of the fast both for the Muslims and Christians alike. You don’t celebrate anything else, but this unity given to us by Almighty God,” the President stated.
In a light-hearted moment, Tinubu joked about charging the lawmakers for the dinner before commending the Speaker and members of the House for their leadership and cooperation with the executive.
“I thought I will charge you to pay for the dinner, but nevertheless, you indirectly paid for it,” he quipped, praising the chamber’s “richness” and “consciousness” in representation.
Reflecting on the early days of his administration, Tinubu expressed appreciation to the lawmakers for standing by his reform agenda, particularly during the controversial removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira.
“It was very difficult at the beginning for people to realize the direction of my thinking… but none of you came to me to say, can you reverse the removal of subsidy, or can you change the foreign exchange flotation of naira,” he said.
According to him, the National Assembly’s support at a time of intense public criticism gave him the confidence to push ahead with policies he described as critical to Nigeria’s economic recovery.
“You collaborated, you joined together as a team… today, we are better off for it,” Tinubu added.
On the nation’s security challenges, the President acknowledged the burden lawmakers face as grassroots representatives.
“I see some of you on television going to your localities and face challenges. Now you know, more than anybody else, that security is local,” he said.
Making a strong case for decentralised policing, Tinubu argued that empowering states with policing authority would strengthen the country’s security architecture. However, he cautioned against an unstructured approach.
“If security is local, we just have to work together to put pressure on our public to accept the need for state police. Amend it, not a straight free fall for everybody. Tie it in a way that will not be abused, like in the past. A good legislature must learn from the past to cure the present. On that, I’m ready to work with you,” he stressed.
The remarks signal a renewed executive push for constitutional reforms aimed at devolving policing powers — a long-debated issue in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Earlier, Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, reaffirmed the legislature’s backing for the President’s leadership and policy direction.
“Every member you see here, whether from the majority or from the minority, believes in what you are doing,” Abbas said, expressing optimism about the administration’s future achievements.
“By the grace of God, things have started flowing, but I believe we have not even started seeing the best of you. The best of you will come in the next mandate, 2027 to 2031,” he added.
With growing calls for security reforms across the country, the debate over state policing appears set to return to the front burner at the National Assembly.