Government names former-IG as Service Commission chair

By Faida Idris, 
Kanempress.

25th January 2023

Nigeria has requested its Senate to confirm the appointment of a former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, as the new Chairman of the Police Service Commission.

President Muhammadu Buhari in a letter read during plenary on Tuesday by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said the appointment was in accordance with the provision of Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.

Arase, if confirmed by the Senate, will replace Musiliu Smith who resigned as chairman recently.

In another development, President Buhari also forwarded two names to be confirmed as Resident Electoral Commissioners for Independent National Electoral Commission

The new appointees are D. Mahmuda Isah from Kebbi state, whose appointment is for renewal and Dr Mann Alli from Ondo State, who is for a new appointment.

Another letter received by the Senate was for the appointment of five members of the Code of Conduct Bureau.

Meanwhile, the PSC has directed all senior police officers due for retirement to proceed, stating that it will not extend their tenures.

The Police Service Commission said its directive was borne out of media reports on whether or not; retiring senior police officers’ tenure should be extended due to the forthcoming general elections’ security management.

The Head, Press and Public Relations, PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, on Tuesday, said the commission, following a meeting on Monday, decided that it will not extend the tenures of the retiring senior police officers, stressing that even when requested, it cannot do so as it is against all existing laws, the Police Act, the PSC Act, and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It partly read, “The commission assured Nigerians that the retirement of hundreds of senior police officers would not create a void in the police hierarchy.

“It decided to rigidly uphold the provisions of the law, which stipulates that a serving public officer, whether in the police or any other government agency, must exit the service at the age of 60 or after having served for 35 years.”