…It’s Abuse Of Power – Labour Party

…Egbetokun Cannot Benefit Retroactively – HURIWA

 

The decision to amend the Nigeria Police Act 2020, which the National Assembly effectively did on Tuesday is tearing the force apart as senior officers have moved against it.

Already, there are grumbles and expressions of dissent with some going as far as warning that loyalty and hard work in the face of public hostility cannot be guaranteed.

Recall the National Assembly expeditiously passed an amendment of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 (“Principal Ac”) on Tuesday granting the Inspector General of Police a four-year tenure regardless of his age or years of service.

The executive bill as passed into law enables the person appointed as IGP to remain in office until the end of term stipulated in the letter of appointment, in pursuance of Section 7 (6) of the Police Act of 2020.

Section 7 (6) of the Police Act of 2020 states: “The person appointed to the office of the Inspector-General of Police shall hold office for four years.”

The executive bill, however, sought that Section 18 of the Principal Act is amended by adding a new subsection (8A) – “(8A) Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (8) of this section, any person appointed to the office of Inspector-General of Police shall remain in office until the end of the term stipulated in the letter of appointment in line with the provisions of Section 7(6) of this Act,” it said.

But Section 18(8) of the Police Act 2020, which makes direct reference to the civil service rule on retirement, states: “Every police officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the Nigeria Police Force for a period of 35 years or until he attains the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier.”

Egbetokun, who was the principal officer of President Bola Tinubu when he was governor of Lagos State, was appointed as IGP in June 2023, two years before he clocks 60 on September 4, 2024.

Now, having established a firm working relationship with the president, and would be the direct beneficiary of the law, senior officers who feel they have been denied a possible IG position are crying wolf warning loyalty and hard work would be tested.

The officers who are next in line to take over as IG if Egbetokun retires in September disapprove of the development.

“Even though not everyone can be an IG, it’s wrong. It will crash the morale,” a senior officer also qualified for the position told THE WHISTLER on condition of anonymity.

He said it’s alarming that “nepotism is creeping into a once admired force. It’s getting worse. How would the rank and file think when at the top nepotism and favouritism is being given utmost consideration?

“I think the only fair thing is if the occupant of that office is not the first beneficiary otherwise it will spell doom for the future of the force,” he warned.

Another senior officer said, “What can we say but to watch and see. It’s a terrible day because the manner and speed the whole thing was done leaves much to be desired.”

Also, a retired senior police officer who said he doesn’t want to invite the wrath of the powers that be opined that “in our days, even though we were underfunded, we tried not to give prominence to favouritism and nepotism. What everyone would be looking at is who is the president and who’s the IG and who is the first beneficiary of this law.

“I don’t think it’s a good thing, it doesn’t look well. Tongues would wag, people would be demoralised and that’s the last thing you need in the already troubled force,” he said.

Also speaking, the Chief Spokesman of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Yunusa Tanko said “it’s a blatant abuse of power. If you want to even do something that is meaningful for the interest of the people, the office holder should not be a beneficiary of that particular law.

“Absolutely. If you’re doing it genuinely for the interest of the country, the person who is holding the office should be seen to be following another person, not for him to benefit from it, that is a selfish interest. That means there’s a hidden agenda.

“Nigeria is not meant for one person,” Tanko said, noting that “even the president, whether he likes it or not, one day, will leave that office.

“But the fact is that when you make the institution as solid and very, very impeccable for corrupt people, it makes the country stronger.

“So therefore, this particular bill, even if it’s meant for the interest of the people, then the office holder should not be a beneficiary.”

Similarly, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria or HURIWA said in an interview with THE WHISTLER that the only sane thing the president should do is to deny the current holder of the office the benefit of the law.

Onwubiko said, “If the current IG who was appointed over almost a year ago benefits from the bill that was passed one year after coming into office, it means one day this National Assembly will perform a magic of passing a bill abrogating the death penalty and then say that all those who have been executed under the previous law that authorised death penalty should be woken up from the dead.

“It means that if they perform this magic, they can equally say one day that they have abrogated the death penalty and all those who have been executed since the 1970s, should all be woken up from the dead.

“Egbetokun cannot benefit retroactively, it would be wrong. This National Assembly continues to perform magic in the manner the lawmakers are conducting their affairs.

“The passage of this bill shows they are puppets and can do anything,” Onwubiko said.