SouthWest Governors Condemn AGF, Policeman’s Disrespect to Gov. Sanwo-Olu

SouthWest Governors Condemn AGF, Policeman’s Disrespect to Gov. Sanwo-Olu

Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Ondo State Governor and Chairman South West Governors Forum has condemned the roles of the Inspector General of Police IGP Usman Alkali Baba and the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami in the public humiliation of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu on Tuesday.

An unnamed police officer at the Magodo Estate area of Lagos on the orders of the AGF and IGP had rudely responded to an publicly disobeyed the Governor’s orders to his face, insisting he was answerable only to the IGP.

Residents of the Estate had cried out to the Governor to save them from armed police officers and alleged land grabbers who had besieged the area to enforce a Supreme Court judgment prompting the Governor’s visit and disgraceful exchange of words with the police officer with the rank of Chief Superintendent.

In a quick reaction, Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, released a statement in defense of Gov. Sanwo-olu.

Full statement below:

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 Sanwoolu, 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 IGP 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 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.

Signed:
Arakunrin Oluwarotimi O. Akeredolu SAN
Chairman South West Governors Forum.