JUST days after he left office as the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase was all but declared a thief by his successor as IGP, Idris Ibrahim. It was a bizarre and most unexpected indictment that gave one the impression that something must have been fundamentally wrong in the relationship between Arase and Ibrahim.

WHEN last week I was writing on the recent preoccupation of the Senate under Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, namely the determination of the so-called ‘Like Minds’ senators, all supporters of the troubled duo, to hobble the Muhammadu Buhari presidency for what they consider its hostile attitude to the legislative arm of government.

Now that the Abuja High Court trying the case of forgery brought against the Senate President Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has adjourned hearing of the suit to September 2016, it may be reasonable to ask if the promised shutdown of the Senate by supporters of these principal officers of the Senate would still go ahead.

IT all started with the arraignment and eventual trial for false asset declaration of Bukola Saraki, the Senate President. Saraki who had emerged president of the Senate against the wish of his party is being tried before Justice Danladi Umar of the Code of Conduct Tribunal for concealing information on his assets when he was governor some ten years ago. Specifically Saraki is accused of concealing information of his ownership of some choice properties believed to have been acquired with public funds.

The appointment of an Acting Inspector General of Police,IGP, from the rank of Assistant Inspector General, AIG,has created another season of instability in the commanding heights of the Nigerian Police force. If precedent is followed,the choice of Mr Ibrahim Kpotun Idris by President Muhammadu Buhari as the new IGP will compel the premature retirement of the six serving Deputy Inspector Generals, DIGs. They were appointed after the immediate past IGP Mr Solomon Arase assumed office April 21, 2015.