The Presidency has reacted to the call by some Nigerians to appoint an Igbo as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP).
The presidency said the appointment of service chiefs is not based on ethnicity but on their ability to secure lives and property in the country.
The Presidency reacted to this on Monday through the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.
The call was a result of the fact that the current IGP, Abubakar Adamu, is expected to leave office on Monday because he has reached the mandatory retirement age.
A similar demand was made last week when President Muhammadu Buhari made the appointment of new service chiefs – Major-General Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff (Delta State); Major-General Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff (Kaduna State); Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff (Kano State); and Air-Vice Marshal I.O Amao, Chief of Air Staff (Osun State).
Shehu added that the President was fair in his recent appointment of service chiefs by making two appointments in both the South and the North.
He said this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program.
The Presidential spokesman said, “The language that is being used is that there should be an Igbo service chief and this is a country with more than 250 ethnic groups. If you are going to appoint a service chief from every ethnic group in this country, you are going to have more than 250 Inspector General of Police, 250 Chief of Army Staff, 250 Chief of Naval Staff. Things are not going to work like that.
“If we said that we are going to use ethnicity or religion as the basis, then, we have lost it. This is about law and order and not about ethnic identity.
“Look at what happened with the service chiefs appointed now – two from the South, two from the North. If you are talking about religion, two Muslims, two Christians.”
Commenting on the next step to be taken on Adamu who has reached the retirement age on Monday, he said, “I haven’t spoken with the President but if I read his mind correctly, the President would rather have an Inspector General of Police who would make you and I safer, who would protect lives and property than one who is more pronounced by his tribal marks.”
Adding that the president would decide on the fate of Adamu when he returns to Aso Villa from Daura, Katsina State, later this week.
