The presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has criticized the passage of the State Police Bill by the Senate, describing it as shaky, rushed and questionable.

He, however, stated that the passage marks a significant legislative milestone in addressing a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people.

He recalled how he and many others, including security experts and regional stakeholders, had consistently argued that a highly centralised policing structure is fundamentally unsuitable for a country as vast, diverse, and complex as Nigeria.

"However, the legislative and constitutional implementation appears shaky and raises legitimate concerns.

"The process should involve greater community participation. Policing should be more visible at the local government and community levels. The mechanism for passing the law appears highly disorganised, with no public hearing on such a sensitive issue. Indeed, the rush to enact the law without proper legislative procedures fuels suspicion among many observers about the political motives behind it," Obi said.

The presidential candidate also spoke about the fear that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of governors. He said te suspicion is that a state-controlled police force could be weaponised to suppress political rivals, disrupt opposition rallies, and manipulate elections.

"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, such as a state-level Police Service Commission that is entirely free from executive influence, to ensure that policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite.

"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," Obi said.