Tinubu Intensifies State Police Push as Osun Assembly Witnesses Mass Defection
President Bola Tinubu has challenged Nigerian lawmakers to mobilize grassroots support for state policing reforms, while Osun State's political landscape faces upheaval after 24 legislators defected from the ruling PDP to the Accord Party.
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President Bola Tinubu has renewed his call for the establishment of state police forces across Nigeria, urging federal lawmakers to build public support for the security reform as the country grapples with persistent insecurity. The president's appeal comes amid significant political realignments, including a mass defection in Osun State that threatens to reshape the southwestern state's legislative dynamics.
Speaking to members of the National Assembly, Tinubu emphasized the need for proper institutional safeguards in implementing state policing. According to the Peoples Gazette, the president "cautioned that the proposed state policing system must be properly structured to avoid abuse." Premium Times reported that Tinubu "commended the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, for his exemplary leadership qualities and dedication to nation-building" while reiterating his commitment to supporting lawmakers seeking re-election.
State Police Debate Gains Momentum
The state police proposal represents a fundamental shift in Nigeria's security architecture, which currently operates under a centralized federal police system. Tinubu's challenge to legislators to mobilize grassroots support suggests the administration recognizes that constitutional amendments required for state policing will need broad-based political consensus across Nigeria's 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The president's emphasis on structural safeguards addresses longstanding concerns that state-level police forces could be weaponized by governors for political purposes or human rights abuses. Nigeria's security challenges, including banditry in the northwest, insurgency in the northeast, and kidnapping across multiple regions, have intensified calls for decentralized policing that can respond more effectively to local threats.
Tinubu's promise to support lawmakers' return to office signals a potential quid pro quo arrangement, linking political backing for legislators to their support for his security reform agenda. This approach reflects the transactional nature of Nigerian legislative politics, where executive-legislative relations often hinge on mutual political interests.
Osun Assembly Faces Political Earthquake
In a dramatic development that could trigger constitutional questions about legislative legitimacy, Osun State's Speaker and 24 lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party defected to the Accord Party, leaving just one opposition member in the 26-seat assembly. Premium Times reported that "the assembly has 26 members, comprising 25 PDP lawmakers and one All Progressives Congress (APC) member" before the mass exodus.
The defection raises questions about the stability of PDP governance in Osun State and could provoke legal challenges under Section 109(1)(g) of the Nigerian Constitution, which mandates that legislators lose their seats if they defect from the party that sponsored their election, except in cases of division within the party. The Accord Party, a relatively minor political force nationally, stands to gain unprecedented legislative influence in the state through this realignment.
The timing of the defection, occurring more than a year before the 2027 general elections, suggests deeper political calculations at play. It may reflect dissatisfaction with the PDP's national leadership or strategic positioning ahead of the next electoral cycle. The PDP itself has been navigating internal challenges, with Premium Times noting that the party recently welcomed a court ruling validating its Ibadan convention, with spokesman Ememobong reaffirming "PDP's faith in the Nigerian judiciary as an independent arbiter."
Electoral Concerns Mount Ahead of 2027
As Nigeria's political temperature rises ahead of the 2027 presidential election, concerns about electoral integrity and security have emerged. Former APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun expressed security concerns following former Transport Minister Rotimi Amechi's declaration of presidential ambition. Premium Times reported that Odigie-Oyegun "urged the government to allow peace to reign and eschew violence in the run-up to the election."
Separately, civil society organizations have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to maintain its independence. The Peoples Gazette reported that one group urged INEC to "stay the course" and defend democracy, with a representative expressing confidence that INEC leadership "would act in the interest of Nigeria and humanity."
These developments underscore the fragility of Nigeria's democratic institutions as the country approaches another electoral cycle. The convergence of security sector reform debates, legislative defections, and early presidential positioning suggests that Nigeria's political landscape will remain volatile in the coming months. Whether Tinubu's state police initiative can gain sufficient legislative traction while managing these competing political pressures remains uncertain, as does the stability of party alignments across state assemblies nationwide.