MURIC asks Buhari to reject Suleiman Abba’s Sack

The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has urged the transition committee of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to declare the sack of erstwhile Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, by President Goodluck Jonathan, as having no effect.

The organization described the sack as curious.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Reuben Abati, had in a State House press release on Tuesday afternoon announced Mr. Abba’s sack, which he said was with immediate effect. He also announced Deputy Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, as his replacement.

“President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has relieved the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba of his appointment and duties with immediate”, Mr. Abati said. He gave no reasons for the sack.

MURIC, through a statement signed by its Director, Ishaq Akintola, condemned the president’s action and said it was imperative for Mr. Buhari’s Transition Committee to “declare clearly, unequivocally and unambiguously that no unnecessary eleventh hour appointment can be made otherwise such will be declared ultra vires and of no effect whatsoever”.

“Emergency appointments by outgoing administrations, including those of state governors, are made with sinister motives”, MURIC said.

“People’s mandate must be jealously guarded. Nigerians voted for change,” it said, while appealing to the incoming administration of APC’s Mr. Buhari to be “on its tip-toes of watchfulness”.

“The question here is should President Jonathan be preparing his handover note or strengthening his position? This singular act appears to have been taken to consolidate incumbency. Nigerians must be on guard. It is not over until it is over. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty”, it stated.

Also, MURIC argued that the outgoing President owed Nigerians explanations, as the removal of Mr. Abba was done “without any justifiable casus belli”.

The group said it found the development curious for two reasons.

“Firstly, Suleiman Abba is not due for retirement until March 22, 2019. Sacking such a high profile service chief without any justifiable casus belli raises more questions than answers. Secondly, it is quite unusual for an outgoing regime to embark on this type of exercise like sacking service chiefs and appointing new ones”.

“The implication is that the hands of the incoming administration are being tied and its maneuvers being restrained. The incoming regime is being saddled with unnecessary and avoidable human liabilities”, it added.

MURIC then asked: “Is President Jonathan really getting ready to handover? If so, why is he in a hurry to appoint a new IG for the incoming regime? Why should an IG be sacked shortly after the ruling party lost a general election? Is it that he did not ‘play ball’ during the elections? Did he refuse to obey illegal commands?”

MURIC said these questions became necessary because the opposition APC, whose presidential candidate in the March 28 election awaits inauguration on May 29, had accused the government of Mr. Jonathan of relying on security agencies to scuttle democracy.

The organization, therefore, asked Mr. Jonathan to reveal the “offence or offences” committed by Mr. Abba that warranted his sack.

“This matter must come to the public court of the Nigerian people who are the end-users and tax-payers”, it said.