A former Commissioner for Health in the defunct Western Region, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, and a former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Chief Frank Kokori, on Friday cautioned the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, against taking sides on political matters relating to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the opposition All Progressives Congress.
The duo, who spoke separately to our correspondent on the telephone, said the actions of the IG on political matters between the two parties were unbecoming.
Abba had on Wednesday refused to recognise the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, as the speaker while the House Committee on Police Matters summoned him (Abba) to explain why the gates of the National Assembly were shut against lawmakers last Thursday.
Tambuwal recently defected from the PDP to the APC.
Ajayi while examining the development said the pillars of democracy viz the executive, legislature, judiciary including the press were not living up to expectations in the deepening of Nigeria’s democratic values.
He said, “The police are not answerable to anybody except the executive. We don’t have a responsible, strong and impartial police. Who is the IG to say he does not recognise Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Has Tambuwal been removed from office? Democracy in Nigeria is at its lowest ebb because the executive, legislature, judiciary and the press who are the pillars of democracy are not living up to expectations.’’
The elder statesman further said there were no political parties in Nigeria because, according to him, existing ones lacked clear-cut manifestoes and ideologies.
On his part, Kokori, who described the perceived partisan attitude of the IG as unfortunate, said it was clear that he enjoyed the backing of some highly placed individuals.
‘‘The IG should know that he is employed by Nigerians and he is being paid by Nigerians. Nigerians should be wary of him and what his actions portend for the 2015 elections, ’’ he said.
Saying Abba should see himself as the IG of Nigeria and not of the ruling party or the Presidency, Kokori added that he had by his past actions showed what he would be doing in future especially during the 2015 general elections.