In what looks like against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the Police Act, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the tenure of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, by three months.
Minister of Police Affairs, Mr Muhammad Dingyadi, who made the announcement on behalf of the president said the decision was to allow for proper selection of a successor, which makes it appear as if the president did not know years back that Adamu’s tenure would end on February 1, 2021 having served the police for the 35 years.
According to the Minister, the President reserved the powers to extend the tenure an Inspector General of Police by three months, but constitutional lawyers said the president lacks such right because he needed consultation with the 36 state governors, among others in a meeting before he can appoint or dismiss IGP.
The minister stated, “Mr. President has decided that the present IGP, Mohammed Adamu, will continue to serve as the IG for the next three months, to allow for a robust and efficient process of appointing a new IG. This is not unconnected to the desire of Mr. President to, not only have a smooth handover, but to also ensure that the right officer is appointed into that position. Mr. President is extending by three months to allow him get into the process of allowing a new one,” he said.
When asked if the announcement was not coming a little late, as the further and unexplained stay of Adamu had allegedly sparked off a lacuna, Dingyadi said “there’s no lacuna. Mr. President can decide to extend his tenure for three months.”
It would be recalled that the tenure of the current IGP officially elapsed last Monday, February 1, having fulfilled the statutory years of service as a public servant. The continued stay of Adamu in office after Monday was already causing public concern in some quarters, even as some had resorted to legal actions over the matter.
