The Muslim Rights Concern has described the sack of IGP Suleiman Abba by President Goodluck Jonathan as illegal.
According to the group, ” “Firstly, Sulaiman Abba is not due for retirement until March 22, 2019. Sacking such a high profile service chief without any justifiable casus belli raises more questions than answers. Secondly, it is quite unusual for an outgoing regime to embark on this type of exercise like sacking service chiefs and appointing new ones.”
The group then urged the Transition Committee of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to declare the sack as having no effect.
In a statement signed by its Director, Ishaq Akintola, the group condemned Jonathan’s action and said it was imperative for Mr. Buhari’s Transition Committee to “declare clearly, unequivocally and unambiguously that no unnecessary eleventh hour appointment can be made otherwise such will be declared ultra vires and of no effect whatsoever”.
“Emergency appointments by outgoing administrations, including those of state governors, are made with sinister motives, it said.
“People’s mandate must be jealously guarded. Nigerians voted for change,” it said, while appealing to the incoming administration of APC’s Mr. Buhari to be “on its tip-toes of watchfulness”.
“The question here is should President Jonathan be preparing his handover note or strengthening his position? This singular act appears to have been taken to consolidate incumbency. Nigerians must be on guard. It is not over until it is over. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,” it stated.
Also, the group contended that the outgoing President owed Nigerians explanations, as the removal of Mr. Abba was done “without any justifiable casus belli”.