BREAKING: Gbajabiamila, govs attend plenary as Senate begins voting on state police

The Nigerian Senate has reached a critical stage in its legislative process, currently engaged in manual voting on a proposed constitutional amendment to establish state police forces across the country. This exercise is a significant step towards decentralizing policing and addressing the escalating security challenges plaguing various regions of Nigeria.

The lawmakers are meticulously voting clause by clause on the bill. The manual voting procedure was adopted after concerns arose regarding the potential for faulty electronic voting devices to disenfranchise some senators. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele moved the motion for manual voting, emphasizing its necessity for transparency and ensuring every senator's voice is heard. The motion was seconded by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro, with lawmakers agreeing that this method would prevent disenfranchisement and clearly communicate each senator's stance on the contentious issue to their constituents.

Several high-profile government officials were present in the Senate chamber to witness the proceedings. These included the Governors of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani; Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun; and Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa. President Bola Tinubu's Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, was also in attendance. The Senate also reversed an earlier decision, approving the admission of governors and other senior government officials to observe the deliberations on the state police bill.

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There is a need to also ensure transparency both within ourselves as people that will be performing this major constitutional responsibility, as well as members of the public. Rather than go by way of electronic voting, which obviously is not the case today, and disenfranchise a few or so of our colleagues whose machines are not working. I am moving that we give every distinguished senator the opportunity to answer his or her father’s name by doing manual voting.