Twenty-four State Houses of Assembly have approved the proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police in Nigeria, meeting the constitutional threshold required for the alteration to proceed.

The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Friday in a statement issued on behalf of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, which he chairs.

According to the statement, the approval by 24 of Nigeria’s 36 state assemblies satisfies the two-thirds requirement stipulated under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution for constitutional amendments.

The working group commended the state legislatures for approving the proposal, as well as the National Assembly for passing the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, through both chambers.

“In line with Section 9 of the Constitution, the amendment can now be returned to the National Assembly for transmission to Mr President for assent,” the statement said.

The proposed amendment is designed to provide constitutional backing for a dual policing arrangement comprising the Federal Police Service and state police services.

The initiative is part of broader efforts to reform Nigeria’s policing system and strengthen security across the country.
National Policing Bill Under Review

The working group disclosed that the draft National Policing Bill, 2026, was undergoing legislative drafting review and validation at the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The process was expected to be completed, with the draft bills returned on or before Friday, October 30, 2026.

The group said it would undertake a final consideration of the bills before presenting them to President Tinubu.

It also called on stakeholders to support what it described as a smooth transition to a dual policing system intended to improve public safety.

The National Assembly transmitted the Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, to the 36 state assemblies on September 16 for consideration and approval, giving them an administrative timeframe of 30 days to communicate their decisions.

On October 9, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs Chairman, Yemi Adaramodu, expressed confidence that the proposal would receive the required support, identifying Edo, Oyo, Osun and Rivers as states that had approved it at the time.

Former Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, has issued a strong warning to individuals allegedly planning to manipulate votes or rig the 2027 general elections, threatening that those involved could face violent consequences.

Omo-Agege, who is seeking election to represent Delta Central Senatorial District on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), made the remarks during a political gathering in his constituency.

“I want to make the news again. Anybody who rigs the election on that day, we will kill him! If you don’t value your life, come and rig the election,” he said.

He further accused unnamed political actors of attempting to undermine the future of the people through electoral manipulation, declaring that his supporters would resist any attempt to subvert the will of voters.

“They’re rigging your future. They’re rigging the future of your children. We’re waiting for them. Let them try it. It is rig and die. We’re going to give them aura for aura. There’s no court this time. We’re going to fight,” Omo-Agege said.

His remarks come amid rising political tensions in Delta State, particularly between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition NDC, ahead of the 2027 elections.

The development also follows an alleged attack on a One Million-Man March organised by the NDC in Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.

The march, led by the party’s governorship candidate, Chris Iyovwaye, was described by the NDC as a peaceful political gathering attended by thousands of supporters.

Reacting to the reported violence, Omo-Agege condemned the incident and called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to take responsibility for ensuring the safety of residents and protecting their democratic rights.

“Governor Sheriff Oborevwori must also take responsibility. As Chief Security Officer of Delta State, he cannot look away when citizens are attacked while exercising their democratic rights. The buck stops at his table,” he said in a statement.

He maintained that the NDC would not be intimidated by alleged attacks, insisting that the party remained committed to peaceful campaigns and issue-based engagement with voters.

“You may attack our people, but you cannot silence their voices. You may try to intimidate them, but you cannot take away their democratic rights. The people have the right to choose, and that right must be protected,” he added.

However, the Delta State Government dismissed Omo-Agege’s allegations against the governor, accusing the former senator of seeking media attention instead of presenting his policy proposals to voters.

The state Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads and Public Information), Charles Aniagwu, criticised Omo-Agege’s approach, arguing that his allegations against the governor suggested a lack of compelling campaign messages for the Delta Central senatorial contest.

Omo-Agege, who previously belonged to the APC, resigned from the party in a letter dated May 22 addressed to the chairman of the APC in Orogun Ward 2, Ughelli North Local Government Area.

In a separate statement explaining his decision, the former deputy Senate president said his resignation followed weeks of consultations with political associates, supporters and other stakeholders.

His latest comments come about a week after President Bola Tinubu reportedly directed security agencies to ensure that the 2027 general elections are free, fair and credible.

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has accused former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, of initiating their public disagreement, insisting that the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate confronted him first at a construction site.

Umahi made the allegation during an interview with Arise News, where he described Obi’s alleged criticism of him at the site as unfair.

According to the minister, he did not initiate the exchange but responded after Obi allegedly approached him while he was working and publicly criticised him.

“I did not criticise Peter Obi; he started the confrontation by coming to the construction site where I was working and publicly castigating me. I consider that very unfair,” Umahi said.

The former Ebonyi State governor explained that his subsequent comments about Obi were a reaction to what he described as the former presidential candidate’s tendency to condemn others.

“I only said that when you continually condemn others, you bring judgment upon yourself,” he added.

Umahi also criticised Obi over an alleged remark by one of his supporters comparing the former Anambra governor’s electoral popularity with that of Jesus Christ.

The minister said he expected Obi to publicly distance himself from the comment, which he considered disrespectful to the Christian faith.

“One of them reportedly said that even if Jesus contested in an election, Peter Obi would win. That is an affront to our faith, and I expected Peter Obi to speak out against such a statement,” Umahi said.

The minister’s latest comments come amid his criticism of Obi’s suitability for the presidency, arguing that the South-East has other political figures capable of pursuing the nation’s highest office.

Umahi had previously dismissed the suggestion that Obi represented the best presidential option the region could produce.

“Peter Obi is not the best of our finest in South-East,” he said.

“He’s not the best; he can never be the best.”

He maintained that his criticism was not driven by personal animosity towards Obi but by his conviction that the South-East has other qualified individuals who could aspire to the presidency.

With the October 24 deadline for reporting alleged omissions from the 2027 governorship candidates’ list fast approaching, former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami; former Ogun State governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu; and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) chieftain Aminu Gwarzo face an uncertain battle to secure their places on the ballot.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the NDC have challenged the exclusion of their preferred candidates and threatened legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) if the disputes remain unresolved.

However, efforts by the affected parties to engage the electoral commission have yet to yield a definitive resolution, leaving the candidates with limited time to establish that their exclusion was unlawful.

INEC, in a clarification issued on October 13, gave political parties until October 24 to notify it of alleged omissions from the final governorship candidates’ list published on October 10.

The commission said the deadline was consistent with Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which provides a 14-day period for parties to report candidates they believe were wrongly excluded.

But meeting the deadline may not automatically secure the candidates’ return to the ballot.

Their chances will depend on the circumstances surrounding their exclusion, the evidence of compliance with electoral requirements and the applicable legal provisions.

Pantami’s PDP ticket faces fresh uncertainty
Pantami’s political ambition in Gombe State has been thrown into uncertainty despite his emergence as the PDP’s governorship candidate following a court-ordered rerun of the party’s primary on September 29.

His name appeared on INEC’s provisional candidates’ list published on August 29 but was missing from the final list released in October.

The development has raised questions about the status of the PDP ticket and whether the omission can be corrected within the statutory framework.

The party’s national publicity secretary, Mohammed Jungudo, was reported to have said that the PDP and Pantami’s legal team had contacted INEC over the matter.

Pantami’s lawyers also reportedly wrote to the commission seeking clarification and a resolution.

However, the party has indicated that its efforts have yet to produce a breakthrough and that it may pursue legal remedies if the dispute is not resolved.

Adebutu battles exclusion in Ogun
In Ogun State, Adebutu and his running mate, Kolapo-Sowunmi, were also missing from INEC’s final governorship candidates’ list.

Their exclusion has raised concerns about the PDP’s ability to participate in the contest with its preferred ticket.

The Ogun PDP has maintained that Adebutu complied with the party’s membership-registration requirements and accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of exerting pressure on INEC.

The commission’s stated position, however, centres on compliance with statutory requirements governing the submission of political parties’ membership registers.

The dispute therefore extends beyond the validity of the party’s primary election to whether the PDP satisfied the requirements necessary to sponsor candidates.

The NDC is confronting a similar challenge in Kano State, where Gwarzo and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, were reportedly omitted from the final list.

The party’s Kano State chairman, Hussaini Mairiga, has maintained that the relevant candidate details were duly submitted to INEC, suggesting that an administrative mix-up may have been responsible for their absence.

The NDC’s national publicity secretary, Osa Director, also said the party had written to the commission and received acknowledgements but was yet to obtain a substantive response.

According to him, the party would pursue lawful remedies if the omission was not addressed.

The NDC’s immediate challenge is to establish that the required documents were submitted in accordance with the law and that the exclusion resulted from an error that INEC can legally correct.

At the centre of the controversy is the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026.

The judgment restored the operation of Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which regulate political parties’ membership registers and their submission to the electoral commission.

Under the provisions, parties were required to submit their membership registers within the period prescribed by INEC’s timetable, which ran from April 21 to May 10, 2026.

The Supreme Court upheld the statutory requirements and the consequences of non-compliance, including a party’s ineligibility to field candidates where the relevant legal conditions are met.

INEC has said it applied the judgment in preparing the final governorship candidates’ list, citing Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires authorities to give effect to judicial decisions.

The commission also explained that the presidential and National Assembly candidates’ lists were published on September 12, before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment, while the final governorship list was released afterwards.

The timing has placed the governorship candidates at the centre of the controversy.
Nevertheless, the judgment’s existence does not, by itself, establish that every disputed omission was correctly handled.

The circumstances of each affected party must be examined against the court’s decision and the applicable provisions of the Electoral Act.
Winning a primary may not be enough

A critical issue in the disputes is the distinction between an individual candidate’s qualifications and the eligibility of the political party sponsoring that candidate.

A candidate may have emerged successfully from a party primary, but that achievement may not resolve a separate question about whether the sponsoring party complied with the statutory requirements governing membership registers.

Conversely, where a party can demonstrate that it fulfilled the relevant obligations and that its candidate was wrongly omitted, it may have grounds to seek a correction, subject to the applicable law and procedure.

This distinction makes the candidates’ cases more complicated than a straightforward demand for the restoration of their names.

The affected parties must do more than express dissatisfaction with INEC’s decision.

They need to provide evidence supporting their claims and demonstrate why the commission’s action should be reversed.

October 24 deadline raises the stakes
As the deadline approaches, the PDP’s prospects in Gombe and Ogun and the NDC’s position in Kano remain uncertain.

The exclusion of the candidates could have significant political implications for their respective parties, particularly as preparations for the 2027 governorship elections gather momentum.

However, political considerations alone cannot determine whether the exclusions are lawful or whether the candidates should be reinstated.

The October 24 deadline provides an opportunity for the affected parties to formally notify INEC of their complaints.

It does not guarantee that the commission will reverse its decisions or that subsequent legal challenges will succeed.

If the disputes remain unresolved, litigation could follow, with the outcome depending on the facts of each case, the legal arguments presented and compliance with relevant procedural requirements.

For Pantami, Adebutu and Gwarzo, the immediate task is to establish that their exclusion was unlawful and legally capable of correction.

Whether through administrative intervention or the courts, their political future now depends on the evidence they can present and the remedies available under electoral law.

As the deadline draws closer, the central question remains whether the affected parties can demonstrate that INEC wrongly excluded their candidates and secure a lawful path back to the ballot.

Two suspected political attackers have reportedly died following an armed assault on the convoy of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Ezza South Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rollins Offia Nwali.

The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday afternoon as Nwali’s motorcade returned from Amazekewe community in Ebonyi State.

Sources said that armed men allegedly attacked the convoy with AK-47 rifles and pump-action guns, prompting security operatives attached to the candidate to return fire.

One of the alleged attackers reportedly died at the scene, while the second was said to have died later in hospital.

However, the identities of the deceased and their alleged political affiliations had not been independently verified as of the time of filing this report.

One of the deceased was identified by a source as Jude Nwamgbada.

Nwali confirmed the attack in a statement posted on his Facebook page, disclosing that his convoy came under gunfire while returning from Amazekewe.

According to the candidate, his Toyota Hilux was set ablaze and completely destroyed during the incident.

“My motorcade was attacked today by armed hoodlums who opened fire on our vehicles while we were returning from Amazekewe. My Toyota Hilux was set ablaze and completely burnt in the attack,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to the security agencies for protecting him and members of his team, confirming that they were safe.

The NDC candidate also expressed sympathy over the reported casualties among the alleged attackers, describing the loss of human life as regrettable, irrespective of the circumstances.

Nwali subsequently appealed to young people in the state not to allow themselves to be used as instruments of political violence.

He warned that political ambition should not cost young people their lives, urging them to reject individuals who might seek to exploit them for personal political gains.

“As for us, we are prepared to make the sacrifices necessary to serve our people, and I assure you that no amount of intimidation or violence will deter us from this course,” he added.

Attempts to obtain comments from the Ebonyi State Police Command were unsuccessful.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, reportedly did not answer calls or respond to a message sent to him before the report was filed.

The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill seeking to establish a National Children’s Hospital in Ideato, Imo State, to expand access to specialised paediatric healthcare and reduce preventable child deaths in Nigeria.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North and South Federal Constituency, was debated during plenary on Thursday.

Presenting the bill, Ugochinyere said the proposed hospital would provide dedicated medical services for children, improve access to quality healthcare and strengthen efforts to reduce child mortality across the country.

The lawmaker stressed that protecting children’s health was a constitutional responsibility of government, noting that children remain among the most vulnerable members of society.

He cited Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which provides that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

According to him, the constitutional provision places an obligation on government to ensure that citizens, particularly children, have access to affordable, accessible and quality healthcare services.

Ugochinyere described the proposed hospital as a strategic intervention to address gaps in specialised child healthcare, adding that the initiative aligns with the objectives of Nigeria’s National Health Policy and the 10th House of Representatives Legislative Agenda.

He also drew attention to the country’s child mortality challenges, calling for increased investment in specialised medical facilities, trained healthcare professionals and early intervention services.

The lawmaker identified malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoeal diseases and neonatal complications among the preventable conditions that continue to endanger the lives and healthy development of Nigerian children.

He argued that establishing a dedicated national paediatric hospital would improve the diagnosis and treatment of complex childhood illnesses while supporting medical research and enhancing healthcare outcomes.

Ugochinyere further referenced Section 13 of the Child Rights Act, 2003, which recognises every child’s right to the best attainable state of physical, mental and spiritual health.

He said the proposed legislation would help advance this right by providing an institutional framework for specialised, child-centred medical services.

To strengthen his argument, the lawmaker cited specialised paediatric institutions in other countries, including Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., United States, and the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa.

He maintained that Nigeria needed a more deliberate approach to paediatric healthcare through investments in specialised facilities capable of delivering advanced treatment, training medical personnel and supporting research.

If enacted and implemented, the proposed National Children’s Hospital in Ideato could serve children from Imo State, the South-East and other parts of the country, depending on its eventual capacity and service arrangements.

Police and other security agencies have intensified security arrangements in Akwa Ibom State ahead of a planned two-million-man solidarity rally for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

The rally, scheduled for Saturday, October 24, in Uyo, the state capital, is being organised by the NDC, Obidient Movement, OK Movement, Kwankwasiyya Movement and other support groups ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The event is also expected to showcase support for the party’s Akwa Ibom governorship candidate, Hon. Michael Enyong, popularly known as Babantan.

The organisers said security measures had been put in place to ensure a peaceful gathering and prevent a breakdown of law and order as supporters and political enthusiasts prepare to participate in the march.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the event, the Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of OK Movement and chairman of the rally’s media committee, Engr. Elijah Noah, urged residents and supporters of Obi across the country to join the exercise.

Noah said the rally was intended to promote the vision of a Nigeria where citizens could freely elect their leaders and have their votes counted.

“We are marching in solidarity for a new Nigeria, for free and fair elections, to put an end to ballot snatching and election theft, and to bring about due process in our country,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to take an active interest in the country’s political development, stressing that citizens had a responsibility to contribute to improving governance.

The rally was initially scheduled for October 1 as part of activities marking Nigeria’s Independence Day but was cancelled at the last minute by the state Commissioner of Police over security concerns, according to the report.

The rescheduled march is expected to commence at the Water Fountain along Nwaniba Road in Uyo, before proceeding through designated streets in the city.

The chairman of the Central Planning Committee, Dr Ben Smith, said the organisers anticipated participation both at the physical gathering and through online engagement.

Smith, who is also the NDC South-South Zonal Financial Secretary and State Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, described the event as a solidarity march rather than a protest.

He said the programme would feature music, dancing and other social activities, providing participants with an opportunity to express their political aspirations in a peaceful atmosphere.

Smith also invited opposition parties and Nigerians from diverse ethnic and professional backgrounds to participate, saying the rally was designed to demonstrate support for credible elections and better governance.

According to him, the organisers had made arrangements for transportation, refreshments, medical assistance and internal security, while expressing the expectation that police and other security agencies would provide adequate protection.

The NDC State Publicity Secretary (New Media) and Director of Media for the Obidient Movement in Akwa Ibom, Hon. Kingsley Okposin, also called on young people to participate in the march.

Okposin said the rally would draw attention to issues affecting ordinary Nigerians, including access to healthcare, quality education, good roads, affordable housing and improved living conditions.

Similarly, the NDC candidate for Abak State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Israel James, said the event should serve as a platform for citizens to express their expectations for better public services, rather than merely demonstrate loyalty to individual politicians.

A veteran of the Obidient Movement in the state, Captain Augustine Okon, said he would join the march to encourage younger supporters and promote peaceful political participation.

Other political figures, including the NDC state leader, Chief Sunny Ibanga, and the State Coordinator of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Comrade Ubong Kingsley Young, called on residents, non-indigenes and members of different ethnic communities to participate.

They urged attendees to maintain peace, obey security directives and cooperate with law enforcement officers throughout the exercise.

The organisers reiterated their call for Nigerians to exercise their civic responsibilities and support efforts to ensure credible elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.