ADC Faults House of Representatives Over Alleged WhatsApp Voting on State Police Bill
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the House of Representatives over its handling of the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill, alleging that the process violated constitutional procedures and lacked transparency.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC called on the House to recommit the Bill to a fresh, transparent and inclusive legislative process.
The party questioned reports that the constitutional threshold required to pass the amendment was achieved by recognising votes allegedly transmitted through WhatsApp from lawmakers who were absent from the chamber, while also counting members who had signed the attendance register but were no longer present during the vote.
According to the ADC, if the reports are accurate, they raise serious constitutional and legal concerns.
“The Constitution is not amended by convenience. It is amended through strict procedures that leave no room for improvisation,” the party stated, insisting that constitutional processes must not be circumvented, regardless of the intentions behind the proposed amendment.
The opposition party also expressed concern that clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill was reportedly curtailed, while constitutional objections raised during deliberations were allegedly not given adequate attention.
It argued that constitutional amendments require openness, rigorous debate and strict adherence to both the Constitution and the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives.
The ADC further maintained that the current version of the State Police Bill had not received sufficient public scrutiny, despite introducing significant policy changes that could fundamentally reshape Nigeria’s security architecture.
While reaffirming its support for the establishment of state police as a response to Nigeria’s growing security challenges, the party stressed that such a critical reform must not be driven by political expediency.
“It is one thing to pass a Bill for political expediency. It is another thing to ensure that it actually solves the problem it was intended to solve,” the statement said.
The party warned that unless the Bill undergoes comprehensive public examination, Nigeria risks enacting legislation that reflects only the views of the ruling party rather than the broader interests of Nigerians.
It also noted that several major laws and policies in the country have required amendments or reversals because they were not thoroughly scrutinised before passage.
The ADC therefore urged the House of Representatives to recommit the State Police Bill to a constitutional, transparent and inclusive process, arguing that Nigeria deserves a State Police framework that enjoys public confidence and contains adequate safeguards against abuse before becoming part of the Constitution.
