North plots total takeover - Wants IGP, head of service, clerk of NASS positions
Taiwo Adisa, Group Politics Editor
Thursday, June 11, 2009

AN intense battle has been kickstarted in Abuja between Northern political topshots and leaders of the South-East over the appointment of a replacement for the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mike Okiro.



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Two prominent names have emerged in the race to succeed Okiro, with Mr. Ogbonna Onovo (South-East) and John Ahmadu, both deputy inspectors general of police (DIGs).

Onovo was to have taken over from former IG, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, until President Umaru Yar’Adua announced the choice of Okiro. Okiro is due to retire in a matter of weeks and top political hands have kickstarted the move for his succession.

Sources in Abuja told the Nigerian Tribune that a political think-thank, which recently met in Bauchi and Abuja, had perfected the way through which the North would take the position of the governor of Central Bank (CBN), the seat of the IG and the Head of Service.

In fact, it was gathered that the group actually worked on four top positions, which they believed must go to the North. The fourth seat is that of the head of the National Assembly bureaucracy, the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA).

While the first three seats would be vacant this year, the position of the CNA will not be available until January 2010. A source said that since the seat of the CBN governor had been captured by the North, the remaining job was to launch massive attacks to capture the remaining seats; the IGP, Head of Service and the Clerk of the National Assembly.

The Northern group plotting to get a northerner to replace Okiro is said to be pushing for a clean sweep of the four positions, including the National Assembly top job, which has been held by the North since the inauguration of the National Assembly at Nigeria’s independence in 1960.

It was gathered that some quiet but coordinated efforts were ongoing as regards the post of the Head of Service, as the seat of the current holder, Ms. Ama Pepple, is up for grabs.

But it was gathered that some influential Northerners had visited the Presidency in the last two weeks to make cases for the appointment of their favoured candidates.

It was gathered that the Northern caucus had insisted that the time was ripe for Yar’Adua to appoint John Ahmadu, as the IGP and shift the position to the North.

But some other Southerners were said to have argued that what is important in the appointment of the IGP for the country should not be where the man comes from but parameters that guarantee unity and the competence of the person being appointed.

It was gathered that those pushing for Ahmadu were insisting that the position should be taken to the North and that Nigerians would not raise eyebrows since Ahmadu would also be a Christian, taking over from another Christian.

A source said that although Onovo was said to have alienated himself from some leaders who should make cases for him before the president, as some of those are now close allies of the President, some of them have continued to plead that Onovo should still be given the mantle of leadership based on the seniority rule.

“Those topshots have also argued that since Ahmadu is younger than Onovo and still has up to five years to serve, while Onovo has two years, Onovo should be allowed to take over now while Ahmadu would still be eligible when he retires in two years,” a source said on Wednesday.

It was further gathered that the president has been closely following all the arguments, while he has not committed himself to any of the groups so far.

The President is said to be leaving the decision till late as he did with the position of the CBN governor. But it was gathered that another group of lobbyists who want Okiro’s tenure renewed have not foreclosed their chances as the bid was initially mooted by some topshots in the administration.