JUST-IN: Clark writes Buhari, condemns re-appointment of Abba

FORMER Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark has condemned in very strong terms the re-appointment of sacked Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Suleiman Abba as the Chairman, of the Police Trust Fund.

According to the leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, the re-appointment of Abba as Chairman of the Police Trust Fund, appears to some of them as a continuous compensation or reward for a job well done for the roles he allegedly played during the 2015 general elections.

In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari and made available to Journalists in Abuja, Clark who urged Buhari to re-examine his actions as he winds up his tenure, stressed that Nigerians cannot also forget in a jiffy, the disloyal action of Suleiman Abba, when as IGP, he went to the airport to receive Muhammadu Buhari, without the knowledge and or authorisation of his principal, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who was the President at the time, and which led to his sack from the Police Force.

The Leader of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF has also advised President Buhari to obey court rulings, including that delivered on the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu by releasing him.

The Elderstatesman has asked what would President Buhari be remembered for, and what legacy he want to leave after his years as a civilian president Is that of compensating people with appointments, most times the juicier ones, for aiding and executing wrong acts, such as the re-appointment of Abba?

Clark said, “Federal character principle is a doctrine which was introduced by the Nigerian government to ensure equitable representation and as well prevent the dominance of persons from a few states, religion or particular ethnic group in the governance of the country and the sphere of the public sector.

“In any heterogenous society, laws are put in place to ensure that all groups and facets, have a sense of belonging. Nigeria is not an exception, thus leaders and framers of the laws of the land, enacted rules for our cohabitation as a people. For instance, Section 14 (1) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution states: The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice. The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few States or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or in any of its agencies

“”Federal character principle is a doctrine which was introduced by the Nigerian government to ensure equitable representation and as well prevent the dominance of persons from a few states, religion or particular ethnic group in the governance of the country and the sphere of the public sector.

“It is pertinent to state that the prerogative of ensuring that this aspect of the laws of the land is implemented and or executed lies squarely on the shoulders of the President of the country, presently, Muhammadu Buhari. However, it is quite disturbing that the same man who swore to uphold the laws of the land is flagrantly breaching them. A case in point is the recent re-appointment of Suleiman Abba as Chairman, Board of Trustees, Nigeria Police Trust Fund, on 5th May 2023

“Suleiman Abba is from Jigawa State, in the North Western geo-political zone the previous Secretary of the Fund, Mr. Abdullahi Bala is from Sokoto State, also from the North Western geo-political zone. The previous Secretary who resigned his post to contest a gubernatorial election is also from Sokoto State, the northern part of the country. One expected that if the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the police fund is from the northern part of the country, the Secretary should come from the South and vice versa because this is one of the ways of keeping Nigeria’s unity.

“Mr Suleiman Abba is a former Inspector General of Police (IGP). He joined the Nigeria Police Force as a graduate in 1984 and rose to the rank of Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police in February 2012. For him to be made IGP, many senior officers and about seven (7) Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs) including Mike Zuokumor, who hails from Bayelsa State as President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, were forced out when they retired from service. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan did not want to appoint Mike Zuokumor, who was qualified by merit because they were from the same State/Region.

“With such huge concession made by Mr President Jonathan to appoint Suleiman Abba IGP, many of us thought Abba would serve the country, the Nigeria Police Force and President Jonathan’s administration with all diligence and truthfulness as Inspector General of Police, and also having regard to how close President Jonathan was with the traditional ruler who recommended Suleiman Abba for the appointment. So, we were shocked and disappointed to

“The Nigeria Police Force is a federal institution and the Nigeria Police Trust Fund which is established to cater for the Police welfare and condition of service, is a federal government agency. But in appointing people to the Board, President Muhammadu Buhari disregarded the provisions of the Federal Character as enshrined in the country’s Constitution. President Buhari has a penchant for doing this. And this is very unfortunate. It is one of the reasons why the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum, which I lead, took the Federal Government to court for breaching the constitution, and some of the declarations we are requesting from the court are:

“The re-appointment of Suleiman Abba as Chairman of the Police Trust Fund appears to some of us as a continuous compensation or reward for a job well done for the roles he played during the 2015 general elections.

“One cannot also forget the disloyal action of Suleiman Abba, when as IGP, he went to the airport to receive Muhammadu Buhari, without the knowledge and or authorisation of his principal, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, who was the President at the time, and which led to his sack from the Police Force.

“Today, President Muhammadu Buhari is eulogising and praising the legacy of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, his peaceful conduct during the 2015, general elections, when he conceded defeat.

“The question President Muhammadu Buhari should ask himself is what legacy does he want to leave after his years as civilian president? Is that of compensating people with appointments, most times the juicier ones, for aiding and executing wrong acts, such as he has just done for Suleiman Abba and his cohorts, who were alleged to have conspired and worked to remove Dr Jonathan from office at all cost? Is it that of breaching the constitution of the country? Is it that of nepotism? Is it that of leaving the country more divided and more devastated than he met it?

“There is still room to make amends within the remaining few days that Mr President has embarked on appointing people to offices if it can be evenly distributed to all sections of the country, as stipulated in the Federal Character laws, and not in a manner of compensating wrongdoing.

“I also advise President Buhari to obey court rulings, including that delivered on Nnamdi Kanu. And as he winds up his tenure, to re-examine his actions.”