‎BY AHMED AKANBI

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‎The push for State Police has crossed a major constitutional hurdle, with 28 State Houses of Assembly approving the Bill to create State Police Services across Nigeria.

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‎The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, announced the development in a statement on Tuesday, saying the figure is well above the two-thirds threshold of 24 states required under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution for a constitutional amendment to scale through.

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‎The Bill, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, was sent to all 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, 2026.

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‎The Houses were given 30 days to consider and return their decisions, a window that closed on October 15, 2026.

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‎Ogunlana said his office will still accept reports from any remaining Houses until the Bill is transmitted for presidential assent.

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‎He said the 28 approvals were confirmed after receipt and verification of reports from the respective Houses.

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‎The verification included checks on accompanying Votes and Proceedings to establish authenticity and ensure the records truly reflect decisions taken.

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‎He clarified that Section 9 does not expressly require a Third Reading for a Constitution Alteration Bill, unlike ordinary Bills.

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‎With the required approvals secured, Ogunlana said administrative processes are underway to transmit the Bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

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‎The transmission will follow the Acts Authentication Act, CAP A2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

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‎The National Assembly commended the State Houses of Assembly for their cooperation and timely response to the amendment.

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‎It described the approval as a significant step toward strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and deepening federalism.

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‎The Clerk’s office pledged to keep the public informed with accurate and timely updates on the constitutional amendment process.