Buhari counters Oshiomhole, insists aggrieved members can go to court

…Approves enhanced salary structure for police
President Muhammadu Buhari has countered the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the aggrieved members of the party, stressing that if anyone is displeased with the way and manner anything has been done, and feels deprived of his/her rights, then such a person is at liberty to approach the courts for redress.

Reacting to the position of the APC which recently forbade members from dragging the party to court, the President said: “We can’t deliberately deny people of their rights.

We agreed that party primaries should be conducted either through direct, indirect or consensus methods, and if anyone feels unjustly treated in the process, such a person can go to court. The court should always be the last resort for the dissatisfied. For the party to outlaw the court process is not acceptable to me.”

The APC, in a decision ascribed to the National Working Committee (NWC), had last week threatened to punish members across the country who had dragged the party to court over various issues.

According to a statement, “The Party intends to activate constitutional provisions to penalise such members as their action is capable of undermining the party and hurt the party’s interest.

“We hereby strongly advise such members to withdraw all court cases, while approaching the appropriate party organs with a view to resolving any outstanding disputes. In addition to this, aggrieved members are urged to take full advantage of the reconciliation committees the party has put in place.

“APC members should understand that as a progressive party that operates on the principle of change, it is not a matter of choice to keep to the rules.”

In a related development, President Buhari has also advised members to work with the reconciliation committees empaneled for the six geo-political zones by the APC, and not a purported Presidential Committee on Reconciliation, stressing that the party is the only body authorised to constitute such committees.

Also, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved an enhanced salary structure for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), assuring that his administration will continue to give attention to the welfare and operational needs of the police with a view to restoring its lost primacy in the internal security framework of the country.

Buhari made the approval on Monday during an audience with members of the Nigeria Police Service Commission and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force on a “Thank You” visit following his approval of Rank Salary Structure Adjustment, by which salary, allowances and pension of policemen will be increased, at the State House, Abuja.

He regretted that the inability of the police in their constitutional role as the frontline force in the prevention of crime, had led to military involvement in the maintenance of law and order throughout the country.

According to the President, from Taraba to Sokoto, to the South-South, people don’t feel secure until they see the military.

“I am pleased to make the increase in salary and allowances in the hope that it will increase the performance index of the police and strengthen Nigeria’s internal security system,” he said.

He observed that the more efficient the police is, the more confident the government and citizens will be.

“The military should be reserved for higher tasks. The police should be able to cope well with the challenges of armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom and such crimes. In every town and village, there is the presence of the police. From all these places, they should be able to forward first class intelligence to you on which to act.”

“There is a need to amplify the question of more men of the police, especially given the condition we are in – emergency in the North-East, pervasive insecurity and abduction for ransom and banditry in many parts of the country.

I congratulate you on the success you recorded against criminals taxing people and stopping them from their farms. We are expecting more from you,” the President told the police.

Full-time Commissioner in the Nigeria Police Service Commission, Justice Clara Ogunbiyi (rtd), who represented the chairman, Musiliu Smith, had informed the President that the Rank Salary Structure Adjustment would enhance police welfare and morale.

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, also assured that the police would redouble efforts to ensure free, fair and credible elections throughout the country next year.