By Udora Orizu in Abuja
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has declared that the continued stay of Ibrahim Idris as the Inspector General of Police (IG) after statutory retirement constitutes a threat to national security.
In a statement issued yesterday, the CUPP National spokesperson, Ikenga Ugochinyere berated Idris,
saying it amounted to impersonation and illegality for him to be parading himself as the Inspector General of Police.
“The opposition coalition wishes to remind President Buhari of the sacred provision of Section 215(1)a of the 1999 Constitution which clearly holds that the president can only appoint a serving police officer as Inspector General of Police. This means that having reached the mandatory retirement age of 35 years of active service on January 3 2019, and the mandatory retirement age of 60 years while in service which comes up on January 15, 2019, the IG is constitutionally barred from being retained or reappointed as IG as he is no longer a serving police officer and his continued stay in office is illegal and an act of impersonation. There is no legal or documentary evidence to back up his stay as IG,” Ugochinyere insisted.
He called on President Buhari to be courageous by announcing a replacement and not bow to the pressure to cement illegality in the core of the country’s security architecture due to his desperation to rig himself back to power knowing he has been rejected by the Nigerian people.
He said: “The uncertainty in the leadership of the police in such auspicious moment emboldens persons with sinister motives and demoralises senior officers of the force due to this abrupt and unlawful halt to their career progression. The law is clear on who can be appointed as Inspector General of Police and who cannot be appointed as Inspector General of Police and Mr. Ibrahim Idris is now in the latter group.”
He further revealed that the coalition members would embark on a protest if the president fails to replace Idris.
“It is flowing from this and to save our dear country from further drift from a government that lacks capacity to provide leadership to our country that the secretariat of CUPP hereby directs all coalition members in the 36 states to begin preparation for nationwide protests from January 15 if the retired IG is seen dressed in police uniform around the Force Headquarters.
“The protests will be in front of the Police Command headquarters of every state and shall be continuous till the right thing is done. During the protests, there shall be a declaration that since Idris is no longer a police officer, he cannot be addressed as IG and a call to him to stay clear of the Force Headquarters, “ the statement said.
He called on the president to be prepared to be held responsible in the event of anarchy, loss of lives and property if he follows the path of noxious plots to rig himself into power.
