The Ogun State House of Assembly has thrown its weight behind the proposed establishment of state police, passing a resolution in support of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026.

The resolution, titled “H.R. No. 194/OG/2025 – Consideration of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 (Establishment of State Police Services),” was passed during plenary, following the consideration of a report by the House Ad-hoc Committee on Constitutional Review.

The committee, chaired by a former Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, presented its report on 26 clauses and proposed amendments to various sections of the 1999 Constitution.

Presenting the report, Oluomo took the proposed amendments one after another, with lawmakers voting in favour of all the clauses and sections contained in the proposals.

The amendments covered various aspects of the bill, including the substitution, insertion and alteration of specific constitutional provisions aimed at providing a legal framework for the establishment of state police services.

Following the consideration of the proposed amendments, Oluomo moved a motion for the adoption of the committee’s report. The motion was seconded by Hon. Adegoke Adeyanju and subsequently supported by the lawmakers through a voice vote.

The House Leader, Hon. Yusuf Sherif, thereafter moved a motion for the adoption of the report as a resolution of the Assembly. The motion was seconded by the Chief Whip, Hon. Omolola Bakare, and unanimously supported by members through a voice vote.

Speaking after the passage of the resolution, the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, said the Assembly had joined other state legislatures across the country in supporting the establishment of state police, describing the decision as historic.

Elemide said the resolution reflected the position of the lawmakers and the people of Ogun State on the need to strengthen the country’s security architecture through the establishment of state police services.

According to him, the initiative would help improve security measures and enhance the protection of lives and property, while promoting the social well-being and economic development of the state.

He added that the proposed establishment of state police was an important step towards addressing security challenges and strengthening the capacity to safeguard communities.

Following the passage of the resolution, the Speaker directed that a clean copy of the document be prepared and transmitted to the National Assembly to formally communicate Ogun State’s support for the proposed constitutional amendment.

The resolution forms part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process through which state legislatures are considering proposed changes to the 1999 Constitution, including the proposal to establish state police services.

Ibrahim Muhammad Kashim, the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, governorship candidate in Bauchi State for the 2027 general elections, has resigned from the party.

He announced his resignation in a letter dated October 16, 2026, and addressed to the NDC chairman in Bauchi Local Government Area.

“I hereby formally tender my resignation from the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), effective from the date of this letter.

“This decision has been taken after careful consideration and is a matter of personal choice. I wish to express my appreciation to the party leadership and members for the opportunity to have been associated with the NDC.

“I respectfully request that my resignation be acknowledged and that the necessary records be updated accordingly. Please accept the assurances of my highest regards,” the statement read.

The Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Senator Abdulaziz Yari, says President Bola Tinubu cannot be blamed solely for the widespread insecurity.

Speaking, on Monday, during a visit to Kebbi, where he met with Governor Nasir Idris, traditional rulers and other party leaders in Birnin Kebbi, Yari said ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, a retired General, did his best but could not tackle insecurity completely.

He commended the governor and other APC leaders for their efforts in mobilising support for the party, expressing confidence that their collective commitment would ensure victory for Tinubu and other APC candidates in 2027.

“We are leading the campaign for the President’s re-election and other candidates of our party. We appreciate you for bringing the emirs together under one umbrella at the Emir of Gwandu’s palace.

“We recognise what you are doing as governors and your contributions towards ensuring victory for our party in 2027,” he said.

Yari said the campaign council would work with all individuals and groups committed to Tinubu’s re-election, regardless of their positions, to achieve the party’s objectives.

He expressed confidence in the APC’s chances in Kebbi, citing the support observed during his visit to the state.

On insecurity, Yari acknowledged the challenges facing the country but maintained that the Tinubu administration was making efforts to address them.

He recalled that former President Muhammadu Buhari, a retired Army General, had also made efforts to tackle insecurity during his administration, although the challenge was not completely eliminated.

“If a retired general did his best but could not completely tackle insecurity, what do you expect of President Tinubu, who is not a general? Nevertheless, the President has done his utmost best to address the security challenges confronting the country,” he said.

Yari also urged Nigerians to reflect on their relationship with God, noting that addressing insecurity required collective responsibility alongside government efforts.

On the economy, he said the hardship being experienced by Nigerians was not peculiar to the country, adding that inflation had declined and fertiliser prices had reduced.

He said the Federal Government was implementing measures to ease the burden on citizens, including cash transfers to vulnerable households.

According to him, the measures are intended to strengthen the economy and improve living conditions for Nigerians.

Yari acknowledged that governments worldwide faced challenges, citing the United States and Saudi Arabia as examples of countries still working to address various national concerns.

He urged Nigerians to appreciate the efforts of the Tinubu administration and support its development agenda.

In his response, Governor Idris described the visit by the PCC delegation as a welcome development, expressing happiness over the gathering of APC leaders and traditional rulers to receive the team.

He said the emirs decided to come together at the palace to demonstrate solidarity and welcome the delegation.

Idris said Kebbi had benefited from federal government projects under Tinubu’s administration, adding that the development initiatives had strengthened the state’s support for the President.

“We have no reason not to support the President. We have prominent leaders such as Sen. Atiku Bagudu, Sen. Adamu Aliero and Amb. Saidu Dakingari.

“You have seen the people of Kebbi and their overwhelming support. We are for the APC and we are for President Tinubu,” Idris said.

The governor expressed confidence that the state would continue to support the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

(NAN)