Pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group; Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to halt taking actions that continuously paints his administration as nepotistic and undermines national unity.
The association said it has observed that most high profile but controversial tenure extensions granted by the president since he assumed office have favoured persons from the South West geopolitical zones or persons with Yoruba nativity and remote identity.
According to them “Specifically, the decision by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to approve an extension of Mrs. Kemi Nanna Nandap’s tenure as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) through December 31, 2026, has been described as inelegant, inappropriate and an abuse of power by President Tinubu since the action presented the entire institutional agency of the Nigerian Immigration Service as that lacking in competent, professionally qualified and massively experienced pull of senior officers who can be automatically and seamlessly railroaded to the post of Comptroller-General of Nigerian Immigration without Mr. President embarking on a search for another Yoruba or South West officer to occupy that strategic national public office”.
HURIWA bemoaned the emerging pattern of extending tenure of public office holders of Yoruba descent by the current federal administration which is a perfect repetition of the unethical practices which the immediate past inept, massively corrupt and nepotistic administration of president Muhammadu Buhari introduced and used throughout his eight years in favour of his kinsmen and women of Fulani nativity.
In a statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA expressed disappointment that President Tinubu who was a major actor in the aggressive Pro-democracy campaigns waged during the military dictatorship of late General Sani Abacha under the canopy of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) that was composed of Nigerian statesmen and women from diverse ethno-religious configurations, has now become an ethnic champion who promotes nepotism and tribalism in the manner of appointing Nigerians to key national offices in government.
“HURIWA is therefore advocating inclusivity and consideration for merits, competences and patriotism as the key and essential determinants for appointments by the Nigerian president of citizens who should hold important offices rather than the notorious in-house nepotism, tribalism and partisanship that have become the qualifications for appointments into national offices under the current dispensation”, the statement added.
HURIWA recalled that the special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Monday, explained that Mrs Nandap began her career in the Nigeria Immigration Service on October 9, 1989. Tinubu appointed her as Comptroller-General on March 1, 2024, to serve till August 31, 2025.
“Under her leadership, the Nigeria Immigration Service has witnessed significant advancements in its core mandate, with notable improvements in border management, modernisation of immigration processes and national security measures,” Onanuga said.
Tinubu commended the Comptroller-General for her exemplary leadership and urged her to continue dedicating herself to the Service’s strategic priorities, which align with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the Nigeria Immigration Service in fulfilling its mandate to protect Nigeria’s territorial integrity and promote safe, legal, and orderly migration.
HURIWA frowned at the nepotism that underline the president’s action and wondered whether the president would do the same supposing the occupant is of Igbo or Idoma ethnicity just as the Rights group recalled that the President did a similar thing in the Nigeria Police that almost created internal schism which was eventually managed through massive purge of many so-called ambitious and activist senior police officers by the hierarchy of the Nigeria police favoured by President Tinubu.
HURIWA recalled that alhough the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), declared that the amendment of the Police Act by the National Assembly in 2024 was in order, the effect of the extension of Kayode Egbetokun’s tenure is threatening the cohesion of the Nigeria Police.
HURIWA said the Attorney-General of the Federation has repeatedly failed to give the correct interpretation of the statutes to President Tinubu and has always behaved like a politician rather than the chief law officer of all of Nigeria.
HURIWA cited the infamous role of the AGF in the ongoing illegality of suspension of a sitting governor of Rivers State Mr. Siminilayi Fubara which the Attorney-General of the Federation saw nothing wrong even when the Constitution does not permit such a political heresy.
HURIWA which carpeted the president for the controversial tenure extension for the IGP, recalled that Mr. Egbetokun was appointed IG in October 2023 and was supposed to retire upon reaching 60 on September 4, 2024.
Shortly before that, President Bola Tinubu pushed the Police Act (Amendment) Bill 2024 to the NASS to amend the Police Act of 2020.
This was to enable Egbetokun to complete a full term of four years.
The Public Service Rule 020810 declares a compulsory retirement age for all grades in the service to be 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier.
However, there are exceptions in certain sectors, such as judges and civil servants in tertiary institutions that provide for retirement at 70 and 65 years, respectively. HURIWA stated that the IGP ought to have retired to give room for the rise of younger and qualified officer to take his place but the Rights group said it believed that the friendship and ethnic affiliation of Mr. Egbetokun counted positively for why he wasn’t compelled to retire when he clocked 60 years as clearly spelt out by the public service Rule which is a legal statute as well.
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