Cosmas Ekpunobi
15 August 2008
Lagos — Mempers flayed yesterday at the Senate hearing of the demotion of the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Nuhu Ribadu and 139 others, as the spokesman of the upper house, Senator Ayogu Ezeh, almost engaged in a fisticuff with Senate committee chairman on national intelligence, Senator Nuhu Aliyu.
Trouble started when Aliyu accused some members of the Senator Gbanga Ogunniya-led committee of being personal in their handling of the issue of recent demotions in the police force
But Senator Ezeh who lost his cool lampooned Aliyu asking him to leave the venue of the meeting if he thought that members were not doing the right thing.
It took the effort of the chairman and other guests to stop the matter from escalating to a physical fight.
Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) Mr. Parry Osanyande, yesterday declared that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was deceived by ex-Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mr. Sunday Ehindero, to approve the illegal promotion of Ribadu and 139 other police officers even when the commission had rejected their elevation.
The commission at a meeting with the Senate Committee on Police Affairs said that it would have gone ahead to reverse Ribadu's promotion even if approved by the president himself in compliance with section153 (1) (m), paragraph 30 of the part I of the third schedule of the 1999 constitution which vested the power to discipline and promote police officer on the commission alone.
The PSC boss and the incumbent IGP Mr Mike Okiro in their separate submission yesterday accused Ehindero of flagrant abuse of the laws adding that the former IGP has refused to present to the commission letter by the former president conveying the promotion of Ribadu and 139 officers.
Meanwhile the commission has declared that only the Vice President Good luck Jonathan in consultation with the incumbent IGP Mr Mike Okiro can decide the fate of former EFCC boss at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS)
Chairman of the commission told the stunned committee yesterday that PSC lacks the power to withdraw Ribadu from NIPSS, but insisted that it had no regret reversing the promotion of Ribadu boss and 139 other officers
Mr Osanyande who corroborated the submission of the permanent secretary in the commission Alhaji Garba Buwai who said that the promotion of Ribadu and others was in violation section 6(1) and (2) of the police service commission establishment Act of 2001
The permanent secretary in his lead presentation to a divided senate committee on police affairs declared that the former IGP only sent a signal to the commission in December 18, 2006 after the tenure of the last commission expired, that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had approved the promotion of certain officers including Mallam Ribadu
This he said, was after the commission had rejected their promotion adding that the rejection was conveyed to the former IGP by the then acting secretary of the commission.
According to him, the claim by the former IGP that he took such step because there was no commission in place was false, adding that section 155 and 171 of the 1999 constitution empowers the permanent secretary to conduct the day to day affairs of the commission even when there is no board in place.
Alhaji Buwai told the committee that Mr Ehindero had in memo to the commission dated October 16, 2006 recommended the promotion of five DCP to CP, 7ACP to DCP , 4CSP to SP and one ASP to CSP.
But the commission during its 48th ordinary meeting in November 16, 2006, rejected the promotion and communicated same to Ehindero.
He told the committee how the IGP sacked 10,000 policemen in two days without recourse to the commission,
But the commission in a presentation it entitled "illegal, action taken by Ehindero in disregard to constitutional responsibility of the commission, said promotions cannot stand.
He said that Act establishing the commission only empowers the IGP to promote and demote police men with the rank of constable and Inspector
Mr. Osanyande told the committee that his commission acted within the law and would have gone ahead to reverse Ribadu's promotion even if approved by the president.
According to him, Ehindero only misled former Obasanjo to approve the promotion of the 140 officers adding that former IGP was yet to present to the commission the purported letter by Obasanjo approving the promotion of Ribadu and others,
Meanwhile, the IGP Mr Mike Okiro represented at the even by DIG Ogbonaya Onovo said yesterday that his predecessor in office violated the laws
According to him the regime of former IGP was characterized by rash decision, dis regard to merit and disregard to rules of engagement in the police force.
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