WorldStage—The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has maintained that state policing is a constitutional necessity and that fears of political misuse should not block essential security decentralization.
He gave the position today, July 18, 2026 during an interview on Channel Television’s programme “Political Today.”
According to Adebayo, sub-national levels enforcing criminal laws need autonomous powers and suggested that funding can mirror independent judiciary constitutional mechanisms.
He noted that Federal statutes would still legally override state conflicts, but that centralized security would remain fundamentally disconnected from community realities if the fear is allowed to diminish the state police policy
The Nigerian Senate had recently passed a breakthrough Constitutional Amendment Bill establishing regional police, but its enactment requires ratification from 24 State Houses of Assembly.
Analysts have stressed that success requires matching reforms to revenue allocation if the state police establishment is to work.
Regarding safeguard frameworks, lawmakers have sought independent commissions to block governor overreach.
The SDP candidate argued that in a true federal system, any level of government empowered to make laws must possess the authority to enforce them.
Adebayo insisted that state policing power is a constitutional requirement for federalism, drawing comparisons to countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and India.
Addressing local realities, he said he found it contradictory that states have concurrent legislative powers over crimes, sanitation, and public order, yet lack operational control over local policing.
He dismissed fears of abuse by governors and argued instead that the risk of political interference should not be used as an excuse to deny states their rightful constitutional powers.
