NASS will pass state police bill this week – Senate Leader
Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, says the National Assembly will this week pass the constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police, describing the reform as long overdue in view of the country’s worsening security challenges.
Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District, disclosed this in an interview with PUNCH, where he also addressed issues ranging from military spending and Senate oversight to electoral reforms, lawmakers’ allowances, and the performance of the 10th Senate.
State police bill ready this week
According to the Senate Leader, the National Assembly has reached a firm conclusion that the constitutional amendment providing for state police must be passed immediately.
“We stand with Nigerians on this issue. A cross-section of the Nigerian public has made it abundantly clear that there cannot be a better time to establish state police than now,” he said.
He explained that the amendment would be isolated from the broader constitutional review process to ensure swift passage and transmission to the 36 state Houses of Assembly.
“We have reached a firm conclusion that we will pass the constitutional amendment to make provision for state police, and I can tell you today that this will come to fruition this very week. There is no reason for further delay,” Bamidele added.
He revealed that intensive consultations had been held involving the Senate and House Committees on Constitutional Review, the Attorney General’s Office, the Chief of Staff to the President, the Inspector General of Police, and other key stakeholders.
Senate rejects public probe of military spending
Defending the Senate’s decision not to establish a public committee to probe military spending, Bamidele argued that such a move would amount to putting the armed forces on trial in the middle of a war.
“That would have been the most unpatriotic course of action — out of order, out of tune, and a dangerous mismanagement of a sensitive national security situation,” he said.
He noted that Senate committees on Defence, the Army, Navy, and Air Force already perform oversight functions, including inspecting military procurements locally and abroad.
On claims of a ‘rubber stamp’ Senate
Bamidele dismissed criticisms that the 10th Senate has become too close to the Executive, insisting that disagreements with the Presidency are often resolved privately rather than through public confrontation.
“We knew we were not a rubber stamp Senate. The difference between the 10th Assembly and some previous assemblies is that we chose to resolve our disagreements privately rather than perform them publicly,” he said.
He cited examples where names submitted by the President for confirmation were returned quietly because of eligibility concerns, as well as negotiations that shaped the recently passed tax reform bills before they reached the floor of the Senate.
Akpabio’s role and Senate traditions
Responding to questions about whether Senate President Godswill Akpabio could speak on behalf of senators across party lines, Bamidele said the Senate functions as a national institution beyond partisan affiliations.
“When you enter the hallowed chamber of the Senate, you remove whatever party uniform you wore to get there. You enter as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he stated.
He also defended the amendment to the Senate’s standing rules introducing a stronger ranking system, saying it reflects global parliamentary practice and is not targeted at any individual.
Kidnapping bill and death penalty
The Senate Leader said the anti-terrorism bill proposing tougher sanctions, including the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, remains a priority and would be concluded.
“Nothing less is appropriate,” he said, referring to recent court decisions sentencing kidnappers to death.
Economic hardship and legislative interventions
On the economy, Bamidele pointed to several laws passed by the National Assembly to cushion hardship, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and tax reforms aimed at reducing the burden on low-income earners and small businesses.
“Anyone earning around or below the new minimum wage will pay no income tax at all. Companies with annual turnover below N50m can now operate without the burden of corporate taxation,” he explained.
Legislators’ salaries and allowances
Addressing public outrage over legislative allowances and official vehicles, Bamidele maintained that lawmakers do not determine their own salaries.
“Legislators do not set their own salaries. Our remuneration is determined by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission,” he said.
He added that vehicles allocated to lawmakers are official tools for constituency and legislative duties, not personal property, and called for the full publication of all public office holders’ remuneration to improve transparency.
Highs and lows of the 10th Senate
Reflecting on the performance of the current Senate, Bamidele described the period dominated by controversies surrounding the suspension of a female senator as the institution’s “lowest point.”
“That was a painful distraction from the work we were doing,” he admitted.
On achievements, he highlighted legislation in education, agriculture, health, and taxation, as well as the establishment or upgrade of several federal universities through bills he sponsored.
He also noted that one of his first legislative initiatives in the 10th Senate was the bill restoring Nigeria’s original national anthem, which was signed into law ahead of Democracy Day 2023.
Source: Punch