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South West governors question IGP over disrespectful act of police officer to Sanwo-Olu

From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure

The South West Governors’ Forum has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Usman Alkali Baba, to explain why one of his officers publicly ridiculed Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as he tried to mediate in a land dispute within his jurisdiction.

The six governors of the region, while condemning the disrespectful acts of the officer to Governor Sanwo-Olu at Magodo, Lagos, described the action of the police officer as high-level abuse of office.

Chairman of the forum, Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, in a statement he personally signed, said the action of the policeman was unexpected of a public officer.

He stated that: “We are in possession of a video, which has gone viral on the social media concerning the disgraceful exchange of words  between a police officer, a CSP, and the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the supposed Chief Security Officer of the state that Magodo  Estate is.

“The content of the video is very disconcerting and this is being charitable. The utter disrespect, which underlines the response of the officer to the Governor establishes, beyond doubt, the impracticability of the current system, dubiously christened ‘Federalism.’

“An arrangement, which compelled the Governor of a state to seek clarification on security issues in his jurisdiction from totally extraneous bodies or persons is a sure recipe for anarchy.

“We condemn, very strongly, this brazen assault on decency. We call on the Inspector-General of Police to explain the justification for this intrusion.

“This is not acceptable. Any expectations of rapprochement between so-called federating units and federal security agencies are becoming forlorn, progressively, due to deliberate acts, which mock our very avowal to ethics and professionalism. We condemn in very clear terms the  role of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami in this act of gross moral turpitude.

“We, on our part, will continue to interrogate the current system, which treats elected representatives of the people as mere prefects, while appointed office holders ride rough shod over them as Lords of the Manor.

“If the purported Chief Security Officers of the states of the federation require clearance from the office of the IGP on matters within their areas of jurisdictions, only hypocrites will wonder why the current security crisis deepens and there appears to be no solution in the foreseeable future.

(Continued on www.sunnewsonline.com)

“We stand by our brother, the Governor of Lagos State. We advise him to deploy the regional security outfit in the state to protect the lives and property of the people.

“We call on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces to rein in the excesses of certain elements bent on acting in a manner capable of eroding the bond of trust existing between the people and the Federal Government.

“It is preposterous for political appointees to seek to undermine the very structure of service upon which their appointments rest,” Akeredolu stressed.

Meanwhile,the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has said that it,” takes exception to the Southwest Governors unjustifiable insinuation of impunity against the office of the Attorney General over execution of a judgment of the Supreme Court”

In a Statement by Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, he explained that:

“The role of the executive is, in this respect, simply to aide the maintenance of law and order in due compliance with rule of law arising from giving effect to the judgment of the apex court of the land.

“Let it be known that the issue is regarding a Supreme Court Judgement that was delivered in 2012 long before the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in office at a time when Malami was not a Minister.

“The judgment was a reaffirmation of the judgments of Court of Appeal and High Court delivered on 31st December, 1993.

The Press Release came to us as a surprise. We see it as a vituperation of ulterior motives of some political class who derived pleasure in dragging the name of Malami in the mud to achieve some sinister objectives.

“It is widely reported in the papers that the Lagos state Governor was quoted to have said “I’ve spoken extensively with the Inspector-General of Police and the Honourable Attorney-General, and we’ve resolved all the issues”.

“The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, would appreciate if the coalition of the Governors will help to unravel the circumstances preventing the Lagos State Government from enforcing the court order despite several attempts from 2012- 2015 and so-called settlement initiative started in 2016.

“Some of the cardinal pillars of democratic Government are the doctrine of separation of powers and obedience to the rule of law inclusive of Court Orders.

“It is a common knowledge that execution of the judgment and orders of Courts of competent jurisdiction, and the Court of last resort in the circumstances remains a cardinal component of the rule of law and the office of the Attorney General wonders how maintenance of the law and orders in the course of execution of the judgment of the supreme can be adjudged by imagination of the governors to be unruly.

We want restate that sanctity of the rule of law is not a matter of choice”.

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2 Comments

  1. Does the Police officer ingestion slaps the Governor? So who really abuse office as far as democracy is concern? Because The Jobless South west Governors Forum failed to legally defined what is ridiculed? as well the true moral action of disrespect?
    French President Emmanuel Macron was recently Slapped in Public by non uniform citizen, So how do the situations handle? Does heaven fall because of that?
    The collective action of the so called South west Governors Forum only gives an undemocratic impression that Lagos State Governor is Semi-God to public While directing the matter to IGP by intentionally excluded Lagos state Commissioner of Police rendered South west region uncivilized upon claiming been the most educated region in Nigeria because the political motives of the Governors Forum had turned the entire issue to Federal Government VS Lagos State Government, So Who really abuse office between a Police Officer and an elected Governors whom also enjoyed Constitutional immunity?
    The fundamental legal questions on the matter was not subject of political judgemental but raised moral questions that the police officer act on his own neither Lagos state Commissioner of Police order him nor IGP So why unjustifiably connecting the action of police officer to IGP?
    If South west Governors Forum could reacted on this matter in undemocratic manner, It was an indication that if State Police is created The Governor will always use it to achieved selfish political goals not really their primary concerns is protection of lives and property of defenceless citizens.

  2. The so-called governors, NASS members etc. are products of fulani caliphate, slaves of fulani caliphate, can only implement policies of fulani caliphate. Policies of fulani caliphate which is to make this territory natives poor and keep them under fulani rulership.

    The so-called governors who are slaves of fulani caliphate, do not have control of the police, military etc. at same time nickname themselves chief security. How can empty handed slaves be chief security?

    The terrorists nickname military, police etc. only obey the governors if it is about implementing policies of fulani caliphate. The terrorists nickname military, police etc. killing this territory natives so as to keep this territory natives under fulani rulership.

    We this territory natives which owns the land have defeated fulani terrorists from Guinea on the six geopolitical zones. The final conquest is Abuja.

    Fulani terrorists from Guinea which uses the fraud nickname Nigeria to steal oil and gas of Niger Delta natives, steal wealth of this territory natives. The era fulani terrorists from Guinea used the fraud nickname Nigeria to steal oil and gas of Niger Delta natives, steal wealth of this territory natives is over and gone forever.

    Conquest of Abuja has begun. Strike point number one is fulani Aso Rock. Revolution Fighters of this territory natives from Northeast, Northwest, North Central, Southeast, Southwest, South South must Bomb Down fulani Aso Rock now from all directions to ashes. Only the Sword decides.

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