APC Advises New IGP to stay away from Partisanship

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The All Progressives Congress has advised the newly appointed Acting Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, to avoid the mistakes of his predecessor and exhibit a high level of professionalism when carrying out his duties.

According to a statement released in Abuja on Thursday by the APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party wants Arase to ignore partisanship and avoid involving the police in political fray.

The APC said, ”We do not know the reason for the sacking of the immediate past IGP, but we have read, just like other Nigerians, that it might not be unconnected with the role he either played or did not play in the last general elections.

“What we do know is that the police force, under the former IG, was a major actor in the massive rigging and violence that characterised the elections in some parts of the country, especially in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Sokoto and Gombe states just to mention a few.

”Now, Mr. Arase faces perhaps the biggest test in his new capacity with the supplementary elections coming up in Abia, Imo and Taraba states. We do hope he will not allow the police, under him, to be used to thwart the will of the people in those states or to give cover to those who will engage in violence.

“Any IG, worth his salt, does not need to pander to the President or the ruling party in carrying out his duties. All he has to do is to make sure the police carry out their statutory duties in accordance with the law and without fear or favour.”

The party also said it did not believe the rumours making the rounds that the new Acting IGP was appointed to facilitate victory for the Peoples Democratic Party in those supplementary elections.

“In any case, whatever may be the reason for his appointment, he should realise that Nigerians have now reached a level where they will not allow anyone, whether in uniform or not, to either prevent them from exercising their franchise or to collude with politicians to ensure that their votes do not count,” it added.