There are indications that President Muhammadu Buhari may later on Thursday announce extension of tenure for the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris whose initial appointment is meant to expire by close of work, reports Blueprint.
Idris, the nation’s 19th Inspector General of Police, was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, on March 21, 2016, to replace Solomon Arase.
The 59-year-old Niger State-born Police Chief is due for retirement having enlisted in 1984. But there are speculations that his tenure could be extended by the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, as he is yet to attain the mandatory retirement age of 60 years.
Already, reactions have started to trail the possibility of the tenure extension.
First on the reaction list is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
And so, the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to follow it’s free and fair elections promise with action by not extending the tenure of the Inspector General of Police, (IGP).
Expectedly, as an opposition party and considering the way the IGP has hold sway of the position in the last two years, the Publicity Secretary of PDP who also double as the director media and Publicity of the PPCO, Kola Ologbondiyan while addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday kicked against extension of Idris’s tenure noting that with him in charge, 2019 elections may not be free and fair.
Ologbondiyan recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari told Nigerians in his new year address that he is totally committed to free and fair elections.
He said, “One of the ways and the method to showcase that Mr President’s statement is believable is for him not to extend the tenure of of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
According to him, ” this is important because majority of Nigerians believe Mr President is going to use the IGP to rigg the 2019 general elections. If does not extend his tenure, he does not need any other message to demonstrate to Nigerians that is committed to free and fair elections.
Ologbondiyan also warned that, “as along as he extends or seek to extend the IGP’s tenure, then what he said is just a lip service. The election will not be free and fair. “
