The item dominated Monday’s plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule.

The Speaker said the Assembly fully supports the efforts of President Bola Tinubu to secure the lives and property of citizens through the establishment of state police.

Before putting it to a vote, Amaewhule drew the attention of his colleagues to Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which empowers the National Assembly to alter the Constitution.

He explained that under Section 9(2), such an alteration must be supported by two-thirds of the members of each House of the National Assembly and approved by resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the states.

He stated, “As required by the Constitution, our responsibility will be to vote whether or not we approve of the alteration of the Constitution so proposed by the National Assembly.

“No debate is allowed; we will just vote whether we accept or we do not accept.”

The Speaker then presented the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, 2022, explaining that it seeks to create a constitutional pathway for the establishment of State Police Services, subject to the Constitution and to an Act of the National Assembly prescribing national minimum policing standards.

According to him, the bill preserves the Federal Police Service as the default police service in any state until a state police service is lawfully established and certified operational, and retains the continuing federal policing role in every state and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

It also establishes constitutional guardrails covering civilian control, human rights, national minimum standards, independent Police Service Commissions, intergovernmental cooperation, criminal information systems, firearms control, and exceptional federal intervention in state policing in cases of breakdown, serious incapacity, national security threat, or egregious abuse.

The Speaker further said the detailed organisation, procedures, operational control, certification, complaints mechanisms, grants, and implementation arrangements are to be left to subsequent Acts of the National Assembly and, where applicable, the laws of the state Houses of Assembly.

Amaewhule noted that the bill contains 26 clauses, including 25 alterations or substitutions to provisions of the Constitution, which he read out to the House.

Following the reading, a vote was taken, with all the lawmakers present indicating support by raising their hands.

Announcing the outcome, the Speaker said the Clerk had counted the votes: 25 members were in favour, none against, and there was no abstention.

“By this vote, the 10th Assembly of Rivers State is fully in support of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Fifth Alteration) Bill, 2022,” the Speaker declared.

He said the Assembly fully supports the Federal Executive Council, headed by President Tinubu, in ensuring that the security of lives and property remains a top priority for all levels of government.

“Anything that needs to be done towards ensuring that our people are properly protected, so that people can move freely, stay in their houses, go about their normal businesses without fear or hindrance by anybody or group of persons, will continue to be our top priority,” Amaewhule said.

The Speaker described the introduction of police at the sub-national level to complement the Federal Police as a welcome development.

“We believe in this 10th Assembly of Rivers State that everybody needs to work together.

“We don’t expect that there will be any state assembly that will say no to this particular effort, so that everybody can begin to work in tandem for our people to heave a sigh of relief,” Amaewhule added.

He thanked the lawmakers for casting what he called the right vote after consulting their constituents, noting that Nigerians have for years clamoured for police at the sub-national levels to complement the efforts of the police.