– Senator Okon Flays Lopsided Appointments

A Civil Society Organisation, Alliance for Change, has called for the disbandment of the newly constituted board of the Police Trust Fund (PTF), alleging that it is lopsided in favour of the Northwest geo-political zone.

National Coordinator, Dandison Oruwari, said it was an absurdity for the Northwest geo-political zone to produce both the chairman and secretary of the Fund.

In a similar vein, the pioneer National publicity secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a former Senator from Akwa Ibom State, Senator Anietie Okon, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of not carrying all sections of the country along in his political appointments.

Okon, who represented Uyo Senatorial district at the National Assembly during the Third Republic, said this against the backdrop of the recent dropping of the acting Director General, Security and Exchange Commission, Mrs Mary Uduk by the President in preference for a northerner, Alhaji Lamido Yugudu. He stressed that with his action, the President was laying foundation for the disintegration of the country.

Oruwari, in a statement yesterday, observed that two out of the remaining six members of the board come from the Northwest, adding that the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, also comes from the zone.

The statement read: “We view with dismay the composition of the Police Trust Fund Board of Trustees. A recent announcement made by the Presidency shows that former Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abbah is to serve as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, while one Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto is to serve as Executive Secretary.

“Let us state, for the avoidance of doubt, that Suleiman Abbah and Ahmed Aliyu come from Jigawa and Sokoto States respectively. With this arrangement, it means that the Northwest geo-political zone where both men come from will produce both the chairman and secretary of the Fund.

“We know that the Police Trust Fund Establishment Act did not provide for this sectional and lopsided arrangement.

“It is also noteworthy that two out of the remaining six members come from the north west as well. They are Mansur Ahmed, the member representing Organised Labour and Usman Bilkisu representing Ministry of Justice. Ahmed and Bilkisu hail from Kano and Kebbi States respectively. To cap it all, the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, also hails from Sokoto State in the same Northwest.

“This arrangement, in whatever way it came about, makes the Nigeria Police Force an instrument in the hands of the Northwest.”

The group noted that if the reason for the establishment of the PTF, as explained by the government, is to ensure a professionally run, well-equipped and well trained police force in line with international best practices, then the government has committed a faux pas by concentrating the powers of the national police in the hands of a section of the country.

“This arrangement does not also support the plan to reform the Nigeria Police Force. Reformation begins with inclusiveness not exclusiveness. We therefore urge the Presidency to revisit the composition of PTF board,” Oruwari said.

On his part, Okon stressed that Nigerians could not continue to be blind to the issues that have held the country together.

“The federal government is not doing well. Today, I am very angry because a daughter of Akwa Ibom state that has served this country well as acting Director General awaiting confirmation as substantive DG of the Security and Exchange Commission has been sacked and replaced by a northerner,” he said.

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