BREAKING: House of Reps Passes State Police Bill After Overwhelming Vote

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed the State Police Bill following a decisive vote during plenary on the legislative proposal.

Naija News reports that 289 lawmakers reportedly supported the bill, while four members opposed it, according to proceedings at the chamber.

The development came as the House earlier resolved that voting on the bill would be conducted manually during consideration of key legislative items.

In total, 290 members were present at plenary for the day’s legislative business.

The bill, which seeks to establish a state-level policing structure, remains one of the most closely watched security reform proposals before the National Assembly.

Shortly after the lawmakers settled down for the business of the day, Kaduna lawmaker, Bashir Zubairu, moved a point of order, explaining that the document on the proposed state police put together by the House Committee on Constitution Review got to the lawmakers only on Thursday afternoon.

Recognised to speak by the speaker, Zubairu said, “Mr Speaker, this document was only made available to lawmakers in the chambers, and we are yet to go through it. We cannot do justice to it because we have not gone through it.”

Zubairu, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), was ruled out of order, allowing the process to proceed.

While the Speaker took members through the clauses, voices shouting “Point of Order” could be heard, but the presiding officer ignored them.

Before the voting began, Abbas announced that the electronic voting system was faulty, noting that the exercise would be conducted based on attendance.