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news
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Tenure
Extension: Yar'Adua Says No To Okiro.....Commends
The IGP |
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From Martins Oloja (Abuja Bureau
Chief) The Guardian
, Sunday April 5,2009 |
PRESIDENT Umaru Yar'Adua has rejected the intense
lobby by some influential members of the Police
Reform Committee to extend the tenure of the
Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, expected to
retire in June.
Indeed, the President has commended Okiro for " a
job well done," a euphemism employed to ease out an
official from his service.
The hope of the lobbyists for Okiro's tenure
extension was also sealed last week when the Police
Service Commission vehemently denied its alleged
endorsement of the tenure elongation.
It was confirmed at the weekend that Yar'Adua has
rejected the intense lobby and arguments by some
influential former security chiefs that the tenure
of the Rivers state-born Okiro should be extended
"because of his membership of the Police Reform
Implementation Committee."
Special Adviser to the President on Media and
Publicity, Mr. Segun Adeniyi, in confirming the
President's position, said there was no substance in
the lobby hints that the tenure of the top cop would
be extended.
Adeniyi told The Guardian that "the President is not
in the habit of extending tenures that expire on
account of age or length of service."
"And he (Yar'Adua) has no intention of doing so with
regard to Mr. Mike Okiro, who the President has
commended, in any case, for doing a good job."
For emphasis, he said: "The fact of the matter,
however, is that Okiro's tenure, as Inspector
General of Police, will not be extended."
Not wanting to be dragged into the lobby
controversy, Adeniyi remarked:
"I don't know really where all these speculations
are coming from as it is not part of the President's
style to cave in to lobby to breach extant rules and
laws on public service matters.
"As I earlier told you, Mr. President has said that
Okiro's tenure would not be extended."
Media reports indicated last week that intense lobby
to extend the IGP's stay in office might have
succeeded following the swaying of the President by
the argument of some powerful figures in the
security community.
Sources within the security community had then
confirmed that "the combined efforts of very
influential members of the Police Reform Committee
headed by former Inspector General of Police M.D
Yusuf, appeared to have persuaded the President to
extend the tenure of the incumbent IGP."
In the said deal, most members of the Police
Committee including Yusuf, were reported to have
recommended that Okiro should stay around for some
time ostensibly "for the implementation of the
report of the committee adopted last week by the
Council of State."
The Council of State had, two weeks ago, adopted the
report of the committee and another implementation
committee headed by the Vice President was
thereafter set up to fast track its implementation.
The new implementation committee, said to have lent
its weight behind the tenure extension, has six
governors representing each of the geopolitical
zones in the country, the Inspector General of
Police, the National Security Adviser and the
Ministers of Police and Interior.
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