By Abel Kolawole
MR Emmanuel Umohinyang, social commentator and analyst, is the Convener of Re – elect Buhari Movement, RBM. In this interview, he says there is no basis for the Inspector General of Police, IGP, and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission of INEC to be asked to resign.
What is your reaction to the call by the PDP for the resignation of the IGP and the INEC Chairman?
I think the PDP, known for its antics, does not have the morality to ask heads of institutions to resign because, under its 16 years administration, we saw how the abuse of institutions was carried out. Under the PDP, the office of the IGP was an appendage of the ruling party. We also saw that under the PDP, INEC, which is truly independent now, was not, so. When a party like that begins to make insinuation, one begins to wonder whether we have lost our sense of history. Funny enough, their call is targeted at the person of Ibrahim Idris, the IGP, but I think instead of the PDP calling for his resignation, Nigerians should be calling for the IGP to be given an extension of office because, in the last couple of years, he has done credibly well. Don’t forget that IGP Idris is UN – trained. He has worked in various missions abroad. He had been a pillar of strength to so many countries where he did well. He has even won UN awards. So when the PDP makes such insinuation, it baffles me, and I think we must commend President Muhammadu Buhari who made Idris IGP. Under his watch, the police have been reformed.
He is a welfarist. He ensures his men are properly taken care of. Recently, the salaries of police officers were increased. This may have been started by his predecessors, but he brought the process to a conclusive end by getting the President to approve it. Idris does not sit down in the comfort of his office and dish out orders; he leads his men from the front line. Those calling for his resignation over claims of partiality do not know who IGP Idris is because, if they do, they would have known that this is a man who will never allow any of his men to be used to circumvent the will of Nigerians. Under his watch, we have had the conduct of elections which have been adjudged as credible even by foreign observers. On the INEC Chairman, I have not seen any area where the electoral body has performed below expectation under the administration of President Buhari. I think such insinuations are largely due to the fear of where Nigerians have decided to pitch their tent in 2019. I think Nigerians should forget the PDP because they do not enjoy their support. Having gone through the era of stealing is not corruption, nobody would want to return to that era.
Corrupt forces against Buhari, says Ojikutu
Don’t you think the call for IGP’s resignation over frequent change of the Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State is an issue?
It is not the duty of any governor or political party by reason of the Police Act to decide how long a Commissioner of Police should stay in a state. The IGP is the one in charge of the operations of the police. The information the IGP has, you and I do not have. Don’t forget the disadvantages and advantages of the police staying long in a place. If a police officer stays too long in a place, familiarity may be taken advantage of, and there is the danger of compromise which may throw up security issues. The argument of some of these governors is that staying long will allow better policing of the terrain, but that is not enough because it is not the CP who goes after criminal elements. His own is to give directives to his men. Even when he leaves, his men are there to do the job on the field. The Police Act gives the IGP the powers to regulate the affairs of the police.
How do you see the role of the police in the recent Akwa Ibom House of Assembly crisis?
Those who make allegations against the police are those afraid of their shadows. They think we are still operating the old order where the magic of 16 is greater than 19 in the Governors’ Forum election under the past administration. Under the Buhari administration, institutions have been given the power to work independently. Look at what the EFCC is doing. We no longer have a situation where EFCC is let loose on political opponents. You should know that the party that is complaining has always had the habit of abusing institutions of government, and so they think the present administration will do same, but they got it dead wrong because under Buhari nothing like that will happen. Accusing the IGP of interfering in the House of Assembly crisis is ridiculous. The IGP will never stoop so low as to interfere in an issue connected with the House of Assembly of a state. Does the IGP want to become the Speaker of the state House of Assembly?
What is your reaction to CUPP’s adoption of Atiku Abubakar as consensus presidential candidate?
I think the endorsement by CUPP should not take anybody by surprise. All the officials of CUPP are PDP, and some of these political parties, like Festus Keyamo said, are husband and wife political parties, but I tend to disagree with Keyamo’s position. Husband and wife means they are two. I believe they are cousins and nephew political parties. They don’t have offices. They have no structures, no organs of the party as it is outlined in the Constitution. What they do is fronting as political parties with a common goal, going back to where we are coming from. If you look at them too, you will discover that they are almost children of the same parents. They all started PDP and returned there. Endorsement does not translate to victory in an election, if it does, former President Goodluck Jonathan would have continued in office. It is Nigerians who will determine their President in 2019, not political parties without structures.
zoning-controversy-causes-mass-defection-in-anambra-apga
What is your position on the President’s refusal to sign the Amended Election Act?
I think our Constitution made it very clear that where the President withholds his assent, the parliament with two – third majority can override but can this parliament muster two – third? The answer is no. The President did not refuse to assent the bill as people may want to say because he feels it will work against him. This bill was passed on the 20th of October 2018. The President looked at the closeness of signing the bill and the 2019 elections, two months away from now. INEC had been working with the previous Electoral Act in preparation for 2019, so the President felt signing the new bill may cause confusion in the polity.
