The Presidency says it will transmit the National Policing Bill to the National Assembly within two weeks, following consultations with stakeholders.
Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President and chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the bill, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja.
He spoke to journalists after a steering committee meeting at the State House, Abuja.
Gbajabiamila said the proposed legislation was about 90 per cent ready, with further consultations needed to address governors’ observations.
“The National Policing Bill is more or less ready for transmission to the National Assembly. We will probably have one more meeting after this to cross the t’s and dot the i’s and make sure every area is covered.
“So, we are 90 per cent ready. The governors have one or two observations, and we should be ready in about a week or so,” he said.
Gbajabiamila described the bill as “the most consequential Bill of the administration so far”, citing extensive deliberations since the steering committee began meeting on Aug. 3.
He also expressed confidence that the proposed constitutional amendments to establish state police would receive the necessary support.
His remarks followed reports that only about six states had passed the Sixth Constitution Alteration Bill on state police.
The proposed amendment requires action by the 36 state Houses of Assembly and the Federal Capital Territory was also referenced in the reports.
Gbajabiamila, however, said there was a national consensus on the need for the amendments.
“I see no reason why anyone will want to have a rethink on it,” he said.
Participants included Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chairman and Kwara Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Ogun Governor, Dapo Abiodun, and Kaduna Governor, Uba Sani.
Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, also attended the meeting.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), was represented by Beatrice Jedy-Agba, Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Other participants included retired Justice Abdullahi Liman, Chairman of the Policy Advisory Committee, and Prof. Olu Ogunsakin, Head of the Nigeria Police Reform Secretariat.
Dr Lanre Smart, Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), was also present.
Nnadubem Moghalu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Planning and Research and secretary of the committee, attended the meeting.
Clement Okhaigbe, representing Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, the Nigerian Bar Association president, and AIG Abraham Thomas, representing the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, were also present.