“Member Bill Not Executive Created IGP Tenure” — Rep Gagdi Says Sowore, CSOs Were Silent During 2020 Law’s Review Despite Seven-Paper Notice

Representative Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, who sponsored the 2020 Police Act, has defended the appointment of IGP Kayode Egbetokun, stating that the controversy over his four-year tenure is unfounded. According to Gagdi, the law providing for a four-year IGP tenure was established in September 2020 through a member-sponsored bill, not an executive bill as some had claimed.

The lawmaker revealed that the bill underwent public scrutiny, with Civil Society Organizations invited to make presentations through newspaper publications. He criticized activist Omoyele Sowore’s recent claims about the IGP’s appointment being illegal, questioning why Sowore didn’t raise concerns during the 2020 public hearing or when the bill was signed into law.

Gagdi explained that the four-year tenure provision was introduced to address the frequent turnover of IGPs, noting that Nigeria had over 22 Inspector Generals of Police from 1999 until recent times. “You cannot do police reform in that circumstance,” he stated, emphasizing that the law aims to ensure stability in police leadership.

The legislator also clarified that the appointment process followed constitutional requirements, with the IGP being appointed on the recommendation of the National Police Council, of which the President is chairman. He maintained that President Tinubu’s implementation of the four-year tenure provision was legitimate, even though previous IGPs appointed after the 2020 Act did not serve the full term.

According to Gagdi, he personally sponsored the Police Act as a member bill in the 9th Assembly, not as an executive bill. The law was signed by former President Buhari on September 16, 2020, when the current IGP was still a Deputy Commissioner of Police. “It’s laughable to say the IGP’s appointment is illegal. That statement was not directed at the Nigerian Police Force but at the National Assembly,” Gadi stated.

The legislator outlined several key reforms in the 2020 Police Act, including:
– Reducing detention time from 48 to 24 hours before prosecution
– Removing barriers preventing women from becoming IGP
– Establishing community policing in the legal framework
– Providing a four-year tenure for IGPs to ensure stability

On the implementation timeline, Gagdi explained that while the law was signed in 2020, its delayed implementation under previous IGPs was due to bureaucratic processes. He drew parallels to other legislation, noting that even his bill converting a federal college to a university took until late last year to implement.

Regarding seniority concerns in appointments, Gagdi defended the practice of appointing IGPs who might be junior to some officers, explaining: “Has there ever been a time that any president in Nigeria, both in the appointment of Inspector General of Police and Service Chiefs, that a junior ranking officer is not appointed to enable stability in all the services?”

The lawmaker strongly criticized activist Omoyele Sowore’s recent statements about the appointment’s illegality. He questioned why Sowore didn’t raise concerns during the 2020 public hearing or when the bill was signed into law, stating that civil society organizations were invited through newspaper publications in seven different national dailies.

On the constitutional process, Gagdi emphasized that the IGP’s appointment followed proper channels: “The Police Council have sat, they have made recommendations to Mr. President, Mr. President has approved their recommendation and appointed the IG.”

He also addressed the previous IGPs who didn’t serve full four-year terms after the 2020 Act, including IGPs Adamu and Alkali Baba. Rather than viewing the current implementation as suspicious, Gagdi suggested it represented the proper execution of the law’s intentions.

The lawmaker defended President Tinubu’s decision to implement the four-year tenure now, stating that the president discovered “there is a gap and discovered there is an act and discovered the process of implementing that act.” He emphasized that laws are not made based on personal sentiments but to benefit the system, arguing that the four-year tenure provision allows sufficient time for police reform implementation.

The legislation resulted in a complete overhaul of the police law, with Gagi stating that “over 89 sections of the police act were totally repealed and reenacted” during the process. This corrects misconceptions about the bill’s origins and underscores its nature as a parliamentary initiative rather than an executive directive.

Addressing recent developments involving activist Omoyele Sowore’s bail conditions, Gagi clarified that while the Police Act reformed certain procedures, bail conditions are primarily governed by other laws. “Bail condition is not a provision of the police act. We have the penal court and other laws that guide the conduct of the judiciary,” he stated.

The lawmaker praised law enforcement’s current approach to legal matters, noting that they are choosing to work through the judicial system rather than taking unilateral action. “I appreciate the law enforcement agency for respecting the provision of law by not taking the laws in their hand,” Gagdi said, adding that bail decisions ultimately fall under judicial, not police, jurisdiction.

Finally, Gagdi praised the current police leadership’s approach to legal matters, particularly noting their decision to take disputes to court rather than acting unilaterally: “They have the force, they have the AK-47, but they decided to take the matter to court for the third arm of government to interpret the position of the law.”