Obi Warns Against State Police Before 2027 Polls, Seeks Postponement

Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has called for the implementation of state police to be delayed until after the 2027 general elections, citing fears of possible political abuse.

Obi, now the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 polls, made the appeal while reacting to the Senate’s approval of the State Police Bill.

In a statement shared on his X account on Friday, the former Anambra State governor acknowledged that decentralising policing had long been demanded by many Nigerians and security stakeholders.

He said the current centralised policing structure was no longer effective for a country as complex as Nigeria.

Despite supporting the idea of state police, Obi questioned the manner in which the legislation was handled.

“The legislative and constitutional implementation appears shaky and raises legitimate concerns,” he stated.

According to him, the bill was rushed without adequate consultation and public hearing.

“The process should involve greater community participation,” Obi said, adding that “the rush to enact the law without proper legislative procedures fuels suspicion among many observers about the political motives behind it.”

Obi warned that governors could misuse state police formations against opposition figures during elections.

“The greatest concern does not arise from logistical issues; it stems from history,” he said.

“There is a widespread, justifiable fear that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of governors.”

He argued that strong safeguards and independent oversight commissions would be necessary to prevent state police from being manipulated for partisan interests.

Obi also expressed doubts that the current administration would resist using the new structure to influence the 2027 elections.

“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,” he said.

He maintained that delaying implementation until after the elections would help protect the country’s democratic process and political stability.

“A New Nigeria is Possible,” Obi added.

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