President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the tenure of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, for three months.
Maigari Dingyadi, Minister of Police Affairs, announced this Thursday while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the decision of the President to extend the IGP’s tenure was to allow him time for proper selection of his successor.
The IGP was expected to leave office on Monday, February 1, following the end of his tenure.
Days leading to the expiration of his time in office, there had been speculations from various quarters on his possible replacement.
When the president returned from his trip to Katsina, Adamu was spotted at his welcome party at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, fuelling rumours that his tenure may be extended.
On Wednesday, Maxwell Okpara, an Abuja-based lawyer, asked a federal high court sitting in the federal capital territory (FCT) to stop Adamu from ”parading himself” as the IGP.
He asked for an order restraining Adamu from “exercising any form of command or control over the Nigeria Police Force”.
According to the suit, Adamu is “no longer a serving police officer”, hence, should not be occupying the position of IGP.
Buhari nominates Olonisakin, Buratai as ambassadors
This is as the President also nominated the newly retired service chiefs as non-career ambassadors-designate.
Femi Adesina, Senior Presidential Spokesman, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday titled “President Buhari nominates Olonisakin, Buratai, Ibas, Abubakar, Usman as non-career ambassadors.”
Adesina said their names have been sent to the Senate for confirmation.
The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded the names of the immediate past Service Chiefs to the Senate as non-career Ambassadors-Designate.
“In a letter to Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, President of the Senate, the President said: ‘In accordance with Section 171 (1), (2) (c) & sub-section (4) of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I have the honour to forward for confirmation by the Senate, the under-listed five (5) names of nominees as Non-Career Ambassadors-Designate.’
“The nominees are: Gen Abayomi G. Olonisakin (Rtd ), Lt Gen Tukur Y. Buratai (Rtd), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (Rtd), and Air Vice Marshal Mohammed S. Usman (Rtd).
“The President urged the Senate to give expeditious consideration to the nominations.”
Politicians Should Not Impose Elections Candidates ― Buhari
Buhari had earlier explained that he supports the ongoing APC membership registration and revalidation because he wants the party to return to the grassroots, saying that members should be the ones selecting election candidates rather than leaders sitting somewhere.
Speaking when he received some delegation of APC National Youth Representatives Caretaker Committee led by Ismail Ahmed, at the presidential villa, he affirmed that politics is a game of number while the party belongs to the people.
He said the authority of the political party should flow from bottom-up instead of the other way round.
While encouraging young APC members to participate in the exercise, President Buhari told them that if they want to see something different, they must be prepared to do things differently.
The president assured the youth that he will support them to grow in all sphere of endeavour, saying that in the days to come, he will confer with his officials on way to enhance the participation of youth in public service.
He said he will also set up a committee made up largely of the youth to interface with their peers on more involvement of young people productive sectors.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation had urged the president to ensure that each committee set up by his administration has at least one young person as a member.
