The move by President Bola Tinubu in alliance with the National Assembly, to extend the tenure of the current Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has been described as an undemocratic action that will set a negative precedent for the nation’s governance.
IGP Egbetokun is due to retire in a few weeks, by the Civil Service Rules and the Police Act 2020.
However, an Executive Bill has been sponsored by the President to extend the IGP’s tenure.
The Bill it was gathered, has also been given speedy passage by both the Upper and Lower Chambers of the National Assembly.
According to a rights group, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, the Bill was passed by both chambers in one day, and without a public hearing.
According to a statement by the Executive Director of RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, issued in Lagos on Thursday, the disposition of the President and the National Assembly is undemocratic, abusive, lacking in transparency, and setting a negative precedent.
“The passage of the bill without a public hearing is undemocratic and goes against the principles of separation of powers and public participation in governance. This implies that the voices of the people are not heard, and the democratic process is subverted.
“Again, such speedy and unchallenged passage of the bill raises concerns about abuse of power and violation of due process. The implication is that the President is using his influence to extend the tenure of the current Inspector-General of Police without following due process, which may undermine public trust and confidence in the government.
“The lack of transparency and accountability in the passage of the bill implies that the government does not value the opinions of the people and lacks transparency in its decision-making process.
“It therefore sets a precedent for future Executive Bills to be passed without proper consultation or scrutiny. This may erode the integrity of the legislative process and weaken democratic institutions,” the RULAAC Executive Director said.
The group regretted the complicity of the National Assembly in perpetrating the undemocratic action, noting that actions of the Senate and House of Representatives, portray them as a parliament that lacks independence and panders to the whims and caprices of the executive arm of government.
Nwanguma said; “The National Assembly is clearly a weak and ineffective institution incapable of upholding the principles of democracy and checks and balances. It’s a rubber-stamp parliament that merely follows the directives of the president and his political allies.
“It’s an undemocratic parliament that does not represent the interests of the masses but instead serves the interests of a select few.
“It undermines the essence of democracy by reducing the voice of the people and placing too much power in the hands of the executive arm of government.”
