At this time and season of our national development, to pay particular interest to a recent letter purportedly written by the Convener, The Think-Tinubu Initiative, 3TI and member of the Policy, Research and Strategy Committee of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, Omogbolahan L.A. Babawale cannot be a priority to genuine lovers of our beloved country and democracy.
In a manner suggesting that he must have written out of panic and unfounded fear, may be for partisan reasons, Babawale must have been so confused as to be lost to the difference between a call to national service as distinctly far from a call to serve overly partisan interest.
In the letter addressed to his Party’s National Chairman and titled: THERE MAY BE FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN, LET EVERY LEG RUN, the writer insinuated that the appointment of former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase whom he alleged is a card carrying member of “the opposition PDP,” as Chairman of the Police Service Commission, PSC would undermine the stakes of the ruling APC in the forthcoming polls.
As laughable as it is too, Babawale, perhaps out of ignorance or deliberate mischief warned of a “possible plot of internal sabotage against the Party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima Mustapha” as the appointment of the new Chairman of the PSC will open the floodgate of posting and reposting of Police Commissioners to sooth his whims and caprices for some political gains.
Let’s put the matter straight to the rather diabolical position of Babawale and many of his cohorts.
Contrary to what Babawale will make his fellow ignoramuses believe, IGP Arase‘s father hails from Benin and his beloved mum is from Eme-Ora, both from Edo State and not Agenebode as told by Babawale.
Should the Babawales of this clime care to know, the mandate of the PSC is to ensure fairness, equity and justice in the appointment, promotion and discipline of officers in line with Federal Character principle.
Furthermore, Babawale must be told that the IGP is in charge of the operational arm of Nigeria Police Force and deployment of Commissioners of Police to various State Commands.
Simply put, Babawale’s fear is misplaced as all relevant and extant laws of the land carefully highlight the separation of powers between PSC, NPF and the Ministry of Police Affairs in line with the new Police Act 2020 for effective policing of the populace.
A very short recourse to the country’s political cum public service history would have informed the Babawales of this world that Nigeria’s former Director General of the Directorate of State Security, Lawal Daura was Director of Security, APCPCC in 2014. He was later appointed DGSS. Also, Mrs Lauretta Onochie is a renowned card carrying member of APC who was nominated as National Commissioner, INEC and Chairman, NDDC Board at various times, even though she was turned down by the Senate. There are many of such instances.
Most importantly, Babawale shot himself in the foot when he exposed the real real behind his panic letter when he stated inter alia: “The Presidency did not see any non-partisan retired police officer, if not anyone with soft spot for the APC to appoint except a known PDP bigwig. I thought President Muhammadu Buhari said he wanted to leave a lasting legacy on electoral process. Is it by appointing a PDP diehard this can be achieved? Fingers crossed!”
It is tragic that at a time progressive-minded Nigerians are exploring ways and means to jettison the politicisation of every aspect of our national life, Babawale chose to raise an alarm over nothing untoward. If anything at all, his panic letter to the APC Chairman which was copied to all APC PCC members is and remains a figment of his partisan political mindset and self-indicting. It underscores an obvious plot of his Party to employ some underhand tactics to rig their way at the polls. Unfortunately, our electoral process has been so improved upon that the BVAS will not allow for any such plot to succeed.
May be Babawale can reflect on the following worthy commendations by fellow Nigerians following the announcement and further clearance of Arase for the PSC job. The Civil Society Organisation in a statement saying why they must endorse Arase for the job said: “as IGP, he set up the Complaints Response Unit (CRU) which is an improvement on existing public complaints mechanisms by introducing the use of technology and expanding the platforms through which members of the public could send complaints of police misconduct and receive timely feedback.
“Succeeding IGPs have not given the CRU the support it received under Arase which made it work effectively and efficiently then. The CRU has a committed and professional minded leadership but lacks police management support.
“Arase, upon assuming office as IGP, espoused the vision of modern and democratic policing that is transparent, responsible, accountable and respectful of human rights.
“He initiated the very first set of measures to check police brutality, especially the excesses of SARS. He split SARS into 2 units with one to handle arrest and the other to handle investigation.
“But most of his initiatives and efforts to entrench a culture of discipline and accountability were not sustained by his successors
“We are aware of how his efforts to rein in some notorious SARS commanders against whom were frequent and high numbers of complaints were frustrated by political interference.
Continuing, they said, “We will support Arase to succeed hoping that under him, the urgently needed reforms of the PSC which started last year with a bill to review the establishment Act will be pushed through under his leadership.
“These reforms revolve around leadership qualification and appointment procedure, strengthening the investigative powers and competences of the PSC and streamlining the mandate of the PSC with regards to police recruitment and appointment, discipline and promotion.”
In congratulating President Buhari for Arase’s appointment and consequent clearance by the Senate, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF said: “given the sterling career profile, and wealth of experience, of the former Inspector General of Police, and his commitment to National stability and peace, it is certain that his appointment will be immensely beneficial to the Nigeria Police Force, in particular, and the Country, in general.
“PANDEF notes that Arase has, over the years, established himself as a diligent, dedicated, and patriotic Nigerian.
“While in the Police Service, Dr. Solomon Arase served in various capacities, including Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State and was head of the topmost intelligence gathering unit of the Nigeria Police – the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, as Assistant Inspector-General, and, later, DIG, before he was appointed Inspector-General of Police, in April 2015.
“And, even after he retired from the Police Service, in 2016, Dr. Solomon Arase continued to bestow his knowledge and experience to the Force, and the Nation, in various capacities.
A final word to Babawale and his gang: let the partisan politicians face their politics and leave the new PSC Chairman alone. After all, President Muhammadu Buhari in all his wisdom and patriotic disposition nominated Arase, the Senate confirmed him as the PSC Chairman; and he is ready, able and willing to work for the greater glory of Nigeria.