The passage of the constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria triggered a heated session at the House of Representatives on Thursday, as members of the Minority Caucus staged a dramatic walkout from plenary.
The lawmakers accused the leadership of the House of violating constitutional provisions and breaching its Standing Orders during the consideration of the bill.
The Minority Leader, Fredrick Agbedi, alongside other caucus leaders, told journalists after the walkout that their action was not an opposition to the creation of state police but a protest against what they described as improper legislative procedures.
Agbedi alleged that the Speaker of the House, while presiding over the Committee of the Whole, failed to adhere to constitutional requirements guiding amendments to the 1999 Constitution.
“The Constitution is the grand norm. It is the rule book from which even our Standing Orders derive their powers. For the Speaker, acting as Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, to disregard the clear provisions of Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, is a great affront to the workings of the House of Representatives,” he said.
The Minority Caucus argued that attendance in the House should be determined by members’ registers signed on legislative days rather than names called during proceedings.
They further maintained that constitutional amendment bills must undergo clause-by-clause consideration, with every clause receiving the support of at least two-thirds of members as required by the Constitution and the House rules.
The lawmakers cited Order 13 Rule 15(a) of the House Standing Orders, which states that a clause in a constitutional amendment bill can only be considered passed when it receives a positive vote from two-thirds majority of members of the House.
The controversy occurred as lawmakers debated the proposed constitutional amendment aimed at creating a state police system, a move supporters say will strengthen security across the country.
The walkout has, however, raised fresh concerns over the unity of lawmakers on the process of amending Nigeria’s Constitution and the future of the state police proposal.
Samuel Agada is a writer and media contributor from Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. He is a graduate of Biochemistry from the University of Jos and a former banker with GTBank and FCMB. A prolific writer, songwriter, educator, and Gospel preacher, he is passionate about informing, inspiring, and impacting society through his work.