State police bill: Senate adopts manual voting after technical glitch

The Senate on Wednesday abandoned its electronic voting system and adopted a manual roll-call procedure for deliberations on the proposed state police bill following a malfunction in the voting device.

The decision was reached after lawmakers expressed concerns that relying on the faulty system could prevent some senators from participating in the crucial constitutional amendment process.

Under the new arrangement, each senator will be required to stand, identify themselves, and publicly state their vote on the bill, ensuring that every member of the chamber is accounted for during the exercise.

Leading the motion, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said the manual process would guarantee fairness and openness while preventing any senator from being excluded due to technical difficulties.

Bamidele said the Senate must maintain a transparent process, particularly on a matter of national importance such as the proposed establishment of state police.

Bamidele noted that proceeding with the electronic system despite its faults could disenfranchise some lawmakers whose devices were not functioning properly. He therefore urged the chamber to allow every senator to participate through a manual voting process.

The proposal received support from Minority Leader Abba Moro, who seconded the motion.

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Senators backing the change argued that the roll-call method would not only ensure full participation but also make each lawmaker’s position publicly known, thereby strengthening accountability to constituents.

The proceedings attracted several top government officials, including Governors Uba Sani (Kaduna), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo); and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The state police proposal is one of the major constitutional amendment bills before the National Assembly. If eventually approved by both chambers and endorsed by the required number of state legislatures, it would create a framework for state-controlled police services to operate alongside the Nigeria Police Force.

The Senate’s consideration of the legislation comes amid growing calls for decentralised policing and broader security reforms to address rising security challenges across the country.