Opposition party urges House of Representatives to recommit constitutional amendment, citing alleged procedural breaches and lack of public scrutiny.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the House of Representatives over allegations that votes sent through WhatsApp by absent lawmakers were counted during the passage of the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill, describing the claims as a serious threat to the integrity of Nigeria’s constitutional amendment process.

NBC Seeks Fresh Appeal Against Ruling Barring Broadcast Fines

Naija News reports that the opposition party called on the House to recommit the bill for fresh consideration, insisting that any legislation seeking to restructure Nigeria’s policing system must be subjected to a transparent, inclusive and constitutionally compliant legislative process.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said it supported the creation of a state policing system capable of addressing Nigeria’s worsening security challenges but stressed that the legitimacy of such a far-reaching constitutional amendment depended on strict adherence to due process.

According to the party, reports from lawmakers who participated in the House proceedings on July 23, 2026, indicated that the constitutional threshold required to pass the amendment was allegedly achieved by counting votes transmitted via WhatsApp from members who were not physically present in the chamber.

The ADC further alleged that some lawmakers who signed the attendance register but had left the chamber before voting commenced were also included in the final vote tally.

“These allegations raise profound legal and constitutional concerns. The Constitution is not amended by convenience. It is amended through strict procedures that leave no room for improvisation,” the statement read.

The party argued that regardless of the perceived benefits of establishing state police, constitutional procedures must not be sacrificed for political expediency.

“Regardless of the noble intentions behind the amendment, the constitutional process for amendment must not be circumvented,” the ADC added.

Party Questions Legislative Process

The opposition party also expressed concern over reports that lawmakers were denied adequate opportunity to conduct a detailed clause-by-clause consideration of the bill before it was passed.

According to the ADC, constitutional objections reportedly raised by some members during the proceedings were not fully debated or addressed, contrary to established parliamentary practice.

The party maintained that constitutional amendments require rigorous legislative scrutiny, open debate, compliance with the House Standing Orders and strict observance of constitutional provisions.

“This appears not to be the case in respect of this particular amendment,” the statement said.

The ADC further argued that the current version of the proposed state police legislation had not received sufficient public scrutiny, despite the significance of the reforms contained in the bill.

While acknowledging that proposals for state police have featured in previous constitutional review exercises, the party maintained that the present legislation introduces substantial policy changes that Nigerians should be given adequate opportunity to examine and debate.

“It is one thing to pass a bill for political expediency. It is another thing to ensure that it actually solves the problem it was intended to solve,” the party stated.

Calls For Public Participation And Safeguards

The ADC stressed that the objective of the proposed amendment should extend beyond merely creating another policing institution, insisting that the framework must be capable of effectively addressing insecurity while preventing political interference.

According to the party, passing the legislation without adequate safeguards and broad stakeholder engagement could expose the proposed state police system to abuse by political officeholders.

The party warned that Nigeria has previously enacted major laws and policies that later required significant amendments or reversals because they were insufficiently scrutinised before implementation.

It cautioned against repeating similar mistakes with a constitutional amendment that could fundamentally reshape the country’s security architecture.

“Unless this bill is subjected to rigorous public examination, we risk enacting legislation that has survived only the echo chamber of the ruling party rather than the searching questions of the Nigerian people,” the statement added.

The ADC consequently urged the House of Representatives to recommit the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill for further legislative consideration.

According to the party, the renewed process should fully comply with constitutional requirements, encourage wider public participation, allow robust debate on every provision of the bill and incorporate adequate safeguards against political interference and abuse.

“Nigeria deserves a State Police framework that commands public confidence because it has been properly debated, strengthened to guarantee the required outcome and protected against abuse before becoming part of our Constitution,” the party concluded.