LAGOS MARCH 30TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Political jobbers and ethnic jingoists have begun intense lobby for their preferred candidates for the position of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) ahead of the retirement of the incumbent Muhammed Abubukar.
The Zamfara State-born Abubakar, 56, who was appointed IGP on 25th of January, 2012 will retire on July 31, after serving out the maximum 35 years period.
Competent police sources affirmed that lobbyists from different parts of the country have been reaching out to the Presidency to make case for the appointment of their own son as successor to Abubakar.
Two names severally mentioned as likely choice Kebbi State born Suleiman Dauda Fakai and Emmanuel Kachi Udeoji.
The police sources, however, say that Fakai is in a pole position to emerge unless President Goodluck Jonathan decides to pick from the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police.
The DIG who is currently in charge of the Administration Department of the Force, has two factors going for him:
• He still has more than four years to serve in the force;
• And the fact that he hails from the Boko Haram besieged Northeast is a plus for him as Jonathan may want to exploit this in the fight of the insurgents..
Fakai joined the Force in 1984 as a Cadet ASP, and is scheduled to retire in 2019.
The Southeast, it was learnt, is pushing for their own son l Udeoji, who is currently in charge of the Department of Logistics and Supply.
Lobbyists from the zone are hinging their case on the fact that having lost out on recent appointment of service chiefs, that it would be a good make for their own to be elevated to the position of the top cop in the country.
However, their case is hampered by the fact Udeoji is billed to retire from the service on September 09, 2004 and there is no senior police officer from the zone presently serves as AIG.
“Unless President Jonathan reaches deep to pick from the Police Commissioners, the Southeat person does not stand a chance,” a source said.
The zone has been protesting what they called lopsided promotions in the force, which they claimed were aimed at keeping their sons at the periphery.
Section 215 (1a) of the 1999 Constitution puts the appointment of the IGP in the hand of the President, “on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council, from among the serving members of the Nigeria Police Force.”
The President is the Chairman of the Council.
Other DIGs that are said to contention for the position of the IGP include DIG Atiku Y. Kafur, who now heads the Department of Training; DIG Abdulrahaman O. Akano, who heads Department of Research and Planning; DIG Zuokumor Michael, one of the two newly promoted DIGs; DIG Jonathan Johnson, who heads the Department of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
Others are: and DIG Peter Gana from North Central, in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department.