By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
Governors of the Western Region of Nigeria have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Baba Alkali to order over disrespectful conduct of police officer to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos.
Chairman of South West Governors’ Forum, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN in a statement issued in Akure on Wednesday, said the utter disrespect, which underlines the response of the officer to the governor established, beyond doubt, the impracticability of the current system, dubiously christened “Federalism.”
The governors condemned in strong terms the brazen assault on decency and called on the IGP to explain the justification for the intrusion and insubordination.
The governors also condemned, in clear terms, the role of Malami SAN, in the act of ‘gross moral turpitude.’
They, therefore, called on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to rein in on the excesses of certain elements bent on acting in a manner capable of eroding the bond of trust existing between the people and the Federal Government.
They described as untoward for political appointees to seek to undermine the very structure of service upon which their appointments rest.
Stonix News recalls that a video footage of the excesses of a police CSO’s encounter with the Lagos State governor at Magodo Residential Estate on Tuesday over police occupation of the area has gone viral on the social media, smacking some outrage.
The statement reads in full:
“We are in possession of a video which has gone viral on the social media concerning the disgraceful exchange between a police officer, a CSP, and the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the supposed Chief Security Officer of the State, at the Magodo Residential Estate.
“The content of the video is very disconcerting, and this is being charitable. The utter disrespect, which underlines the response of the officer to the Governor establishes, beyond doubt, the impracticability of the current system, dubiously christened “Federalism”.
“An arrangement, which compels the Governor of a State to seek clarifications on security issues in his jurisdiction from totally extraneous bodies or persons, is a sure recipe for anarchy.
“We condemn, very strongly, this brazen assault on decency. We call on the IG to explain the justification for this intrusion. This is not acceptable.
“Any expectations of rapprochement between so called federating units and federal security agencies are becoming forlorn, progressively, due to deliberate acts which mock our very avowal to ethics and professionalism.
“We condemn, in very clear terms, the role of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami SAN in this act of gross moral turpitude.
“We, on our part, will continue to interrogate the current system, which treats elected representatives of the people as mere prefects, while appointed office holders ride rough shod over them as Lords of the Manor.
“If the purported Chief Security Officers of the States of the Federation require clearance from the office of the IG on matters within their areas of jurisdictions, only hypocrites will wonder why the current security crisis deepens and there appears to be no solution in the foreseeable future.
“We condemn very strongly, this brazen assault on decency. We call on the IG to explain the justification for this intrusion. This is not acceptable.
“Any expectations of rapprochement between so called federating units and federal security agencies are becoming forlorn, progressively, due to deliberate acts which mock our very avowal to ethics and professionalism.
“We stand by our brother, the Governor of Lagos State. We advise him to deploy the Regional security outfit in the State to protect the lives and property of the people.
“We call on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces to rein in the excesses of certain elements bent on acting in a manner capable of eroding the bond of trust existing between the people and the Federal Government.
“It is preposterous for political appointees to seek to undermine the very structure of service upon which their appointments rest.”
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