By TINA TIMOTHY

Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has condemned the alteration of the Nigerian Police Act 2020 by the National Assembly which extends the tenure of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, beyond his September 4, 2024 retirement due date, adding that it as an act of bad faith.

Describing the alteration as an unjustifiable and embarrassing action intended to serve selfish and political agenda, RULAAC, in a statement on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, lamented that this is “in conflict with the civil service rule with regards to age of retirement and years of service for the Inspector-General of Police” hence is not intended to serve the best interest of the Police, democracy and Nigeria.

“The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, was appointed by President BolaAhmed Tinubu on 19thJune 2023. He was expected to retire from the Nigeria Police Force on September 4, 2024.

“This is based on the civil service rule, which stipulates that public/civil servants are mandated to retire on the attainment of 60 years of age or having spent 35 years in service, whichever one comes first.

“Today’s alteration of the Police Act 2020 puts the Statute in conflict with the civil service rule with regards to age of retirement and years of service for the Inspector-General of Police,” RULAAC stated.

Referring to former President Muhamadu Buhari’s appointment of the former IGP, Usman Baba, on April 6, 2021, the group said he (Buhari) “consistently disregarded the Constitution and the Police Act 2020 which he signed into law in September 2020.”

Continuing, the statement read: “Throughout his 8 years in office, former President Buhari consistently disregarded the Constitution and the Police Act 2020, which he signed into law in September 2020. He breached the legally stipulated procedures for the appointment of the Inspector General of Police.

“The Police Act 2020 prescribed a four-year tenure for the Inspector-General of Police. It was, therefore, expected that a person to be appointed Inspector-General of Police should have no less than 4 years before his/her retirement date. The Police Act also required that the Police Council meets to advise the president on the appointment of a new IGP when there is a vacancy, among other roles. Unfortunately, former President Muhammadu Buhari, in all the appointments he made while in office, was not known to have ever convened the Police Council, but instead, single-handedly handpicked and appointed an officer of his choice as IGP even when the officer’s retirement date wad was far behind the stipulated tenure of office.

“One outstanding example was the appointment of the former IGP, Usman Baba, on April 6, 2021, while he was expected to retire from the police on March 1, 2023, when he attained 60 years of age.”

RULAAC further expressed worry that President Bola Tinubu, rather than “live by example and demonstrate his oft-repeated commitment to the rule of law and constitutionalism” and avoid the unconstitutional steps of the previous government, has himself followed the similar path of breaching legally stipulated procedures in the appointment of the current IGP.

The statement continues: ”In appointing the current IGP, President Tinubu also followed this similar path by appointing him when he had barely 2 years to retire.

“President Tinubu was expected to avoid the wrongful, patently illegal, and unconstitutional steps of the past, which led to controversies and judicial challenge of appointments made by the president. This, unfortunately, became the norm.

“The President was expected to live by example and demonstrate his oft-repeated commitment to the rule of law and constitutionalism by ensuring that the appointment of the next IGP to replace Egbetokun who was expected to retire in the first week of September 2024 was done in total compliance with Constitutional and Statutory stipulations. The appointment was expected to have been devoid of nepotism or other forms of favoritism or partisan political considerations.”

Describing this “anomalous practice of extension of the tenure of a “preferred’ IGP” as unfair and politics of self interest, the group expressed disappointment that President Tinubu “has betrayed the hope and expectation that he would chart a refreshingly new course, in tandem with his expressed commitment to the rule of law and the undertaking he publicly gave in his inauguration address on May 29, 2023.”

“Unfortunately, the President has continued with the anomalous practice of extension of the tenure of a “preferred’ IGP. The negative effect is that while his mates would retire on the due date, he remains in service and office, stagnating the rise of numerous officers under him. This is unfair. It kills morale and breeds discontent and indiscipline.

“In the past this has also taken the form of premature retirement of Assistant and Deputy Inspectors-General of Police to fulfill the requirements of paragraphs 2 and 6, Section 7 of the Police Act 2020, which requires that officers must be no less than the rank of an AIG to be appointed Inspector-General of Police.

“President Tinubu is not known to have consulted the Police Council, which he chairs, to secure the concurrence of its members in the appointment process, as required by both the Constitution and the Police Act.

“It is appalling that politics of self interest could be taken so far as to amend the Police Act in order to achieve the extension of tenure of an IGP who otherwise was due to retire and vacate office.

“It was expected that President Tinubu would avoid a repeat of the pitfalls, errors, and brazen illegalities of the past. He was looked upon as a self acclaimed democrat to ensure that appointments are based on legal and constitutional stipulations, merit, competence, qualifications, seniority, and existing line of succession.

“The President has betrayed the hope and expectation that he would chart a refreshingly new course, in tandem with his expressed commitment to the rule of law and the undertaking he publicly gave in his inauguration address on May 29, 2023,” the group said.