The National Assembly said it has received approval from 28 State Houses of Assembly for the proposed constitutional amendment to establish State Police Services, paving the way for the transmission of the bill to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent.
The number of states that have approved the bill exceeds the constitutionally required two-thirds majority of the 36 states, equivalent to 24 states, under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the Office had received and verified reports from 28 State Houses of Assembly confirming their approval of the Constitution Alteration Bill.
The bill, which seeks to provide for the establishment of State Police Services and related matters, was transmitted to the 36 state assemblies on September 16, 2026, for consideration and approval.
The Clerk had requested that the state assemblies communicate their decisions to the National Assembly within 30 days, with the stipulated period ending on October 15.
However, Ogunlana said his office would continue to receive reports from state assemblies until the bill was transmitted for presidential assent.
He said the Office had also carried out administrative verification of the reports and accompanying Votes and Proceedings to establish their authenticity and ensure that they accurately reflected the decisions of the respective legislatures.
Ogunlana clarified that Section 9 of the Constitution did not expressly require a Third Reading for a Constitution Alteration Bill, unlike the procedure for ordinary bills.
He said the necessary administrative processes were being undertaken to facilitate the transmission of the bill to President Tinubu for assent in accordance with the Acts Authentication Act, Cap A2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Daily Trust
