Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has said the nation’s governors are fully prepared to begin the implementation of state police once the ongoing constitutional amendment process is completed.
He explained that the National Economic Council had already discussed the proposal and that most states submitted their positions in support of state police before the National Assembly commenced work on the constitutional amendment.
Speaking after presenting his certificate of return to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Oyebanji said governors would expedite approval of the amendment through their respective state Houses of Assembly once it is transmitted.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele acknowledged concerns that governors could abuse state police but assured Nigerians that lawmakers are building constitutional and legal safeguards to prevent misuse of the new policing structure.
According to Bamidele, additional operational safeguards will be included in amendments to the Police Act after the constitutional amendment establishing state police is finalised, ensuring greater accountability and oversight.
He expressed confidence that state legislatures would quickly endorse the proposal, noting that broad support among governors reflects a growing national consensus on the need for decentralised policing to tackle insecurity.
Oyebanji also projected that Ekiti State would deliver between 600,000 and 700,000 votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, pledging a more inclusive second-term administration while remaining committed to the state’s 30-year development plan.
