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IGP divides Senate over Obiano’s security withdrawal
The Senate has mandated its police affairs committee to ensure that Anambra Gov. Wille Obiano get his police aides back following by their withdrawal by IGP Ibrahin Idris on Wednesday.
Idris said he took that decision to ensure a level-playing field in security during the Saturday guber election.
The senators asked the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to direct the reinstatement of the aides without further delay.
Moving a motion under order 41, Emmanual Bwacha, Taraba-PDP, faulted the explanation offered by the police chief for the withdrawal of the security aides.
“Mr. President, this matter is bi-partisan. The explanation offered went to the extent to mean that because there is a need for a level playground for all the aspirants in the Anambra governorship election, so, the governor who is a sitting governor should lose his security aides,” he said.
“The governor has lost his immunity on an election that everybody is allowed to participate. If a precedent is being set, we want clarification. That in 2019, if the president will contest, the president will lose all his security aides because we want a level playground. I am not a member of APGA but I know that injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere.”
Ekiti PDP Sen. Biodun Olujimi said Nigeria would become a ‘banana nation’ if such issues are not properly checked.
“Is it the role of the IG in taking over the aides of a sitting governor? it means that even the Senate president would lose all his aide because of one man,” she said.
PDP Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege even prayed the Senate to ensure that all aspirants for the Anambra gubernatorial election are given equal number of security aides.
Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, however, asked the senators to stop making a fuss over the situation, saying the decision was entirely that of the police.
“President Muhammadu Buhari on so many occasions said no security officials should be used for elections to the advantage of the party he belongs to. If something like that happened, that was an entirely police affair.
“I support the position taken here that we need to provide a level playing field. It shows how democratic we are. The serving governor deserves his aide. I don’t want anyone to think this is a trend. We shouldn’t allow this to stand in this position.”
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki also urged the lawmakers to erase insinuations that Idris acted on the order of leaders of the federal government in taking the decision.
“What is wrong is wrong and should not be misinterpreted that whatever actions of the IG of the police was a directive of the government. The IG needs to do the right thing to protect this democracy,” he noted.
The upper chamber then resolved that the security aides of the governor should be returned and that nothing of such should happen again.
The Senate, however, rejected Omo-Agege’s prayer
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