Northern Youths and Elders Awareness Forum (NOYEAF) has defended the integrity of the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Sir Mike Okiro, berating the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) and its leader, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraj, for seeking the truncating of Okiro’s tenure.

NOYEAF in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja expressed displeasure over a purported petition by CSNAC to the Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha, asking him to stop Sir Okiro from parading himself as the Chairman of PSC.

CSNAC had in its petition to the SGF stated: “It is with grave concern that the Civil Society Network Against Corruption view the contemptuous disregard of the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari as conveyed by your office on the 29th December 2017, dissolving the board of Police Service Commission (PSC) among others, headed by retired Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, by his continued stay in office and performing functions of the office despite the composition of a new board”.

Reacting to the petition, NOYEAF said in a statement signed by its Chairman, Sani Yerima: “Ordinarily, the Northern Youth and Elders Awareness Forum wouldn’t have joined issues with the so called Civil Society Group (CSNAC), but the fact that the leader of the group has an ulterior motive and a calculated attempt to discredit and smear the good image of Sir Mike Okiro.

“Okiro is a man of proven integrity, who served his country as the IGP meritoriously until his retirement without any cause for alarm.”

NOYEAF alleged that Suraj is attacking Okiro because, “he (Suraj) did not get partnership contract from the Police Service Commission. Because of that, he continued circulating a decided case in ICPC over one Aeron Kaase, who duped one Idabelemi Hart of one million naira for visa procurement for which he is currently standing trial.”

“Mr Olanrewaju Suraj was appointed member of Corruption and Financial Crimes Cases Monitoring Commission by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and, he is using this position to solicit for contracts and favour from government officials and agencies. Those who refuse to yield are blackmailed by him; Sir Mike Okiro and Police Service Commission are victims,” the group said.

“In this regard, we are hereby calling with a strong voice that Mr. Suraj should be removed from this committee with immediate effect before he dents the image of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and give the fight against corruption by President Muhammadu Buhari a negative impression before the eyes of the world. From all indications, the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) lacks the qualities to fight corruption because you cannot fight corruption with bias and corruption,” NOYEAF said.

It further argued that the PSC has a constitutional tenure of five years, which will elapse in June 2018.

The forum referred to Section 157(1) subsection (3) of the Constitution which states that, the chairman of PSC “maybe removed from office by the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, acting on the address supported by two-third majority of the Senate praying that he may be so removed for inability to discharge his duties or for gross misconduct that may arise or on grounds of ill-health.

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