Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari Thursday explained why he decided to retain outgoing Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase when he assumed office on May 29, 2015.
The President who spoke at the public presentation of a publication “Cascade of Change: A Decade Of Liberal Thoughts” authored by the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said Arase’s dossier and his intellectual capacity in the field of operations was enough to convince him to allow the former IGP to finish his tenure and retire gracefully from the Police Force.
Buhari who was represented by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Femi Adesina quoted Arase as saying that it was very strange for him to have been invited for a farewell dinner in his honour at the Abuja State House on Monday, June 20.
According to him, the recent practice has been to be sacked on the pages of Newspapers.
But quoting President Buhari on why he retained Arase till the end of his tenure, Adesina said: “When it was the turn of the President to speak, he explained why he kept Arase as IGP.
“He said, he saw the quality of his mind and he saw the quality of things, he had written. You know Arase has many publications to his credit and he also saw his capacity as an operation person and he decided to keep him till his tenure expired”.
Adesina said the President appreciates sound mind and intellect, adding that Buhari said Arase expressed fears that he expected that he would be sacked before the end of his tenure.
His words: “While he (Arase) was speaking at the dinner, he told the President that it was very strange for him to have been invited for a farewell dinner, because, what we know in Nigeria is that, you are sacked on pages of newspapers.
“Arase, also had the fear that, since, he was inherited by Buhari’s administration, he was not sure that he would be retained; so every day, he had the trepidation that he would hear that he had been removed.”
Speaking at the event, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode said his administration has succeeded in laying a strong foundation that would propel the State to emerge as a globally competitive City-State, adding that the next line of action was to consolidate on the gains made so far to deliver on first class infrastructure and economic growth.
He said the State has the privilege of housing the largest collection of media houses in Nigeria, saying it was an indicator to the fact that every journalist, editor, columnist and blogger has a role to play in the development of the State.
Ambode while commending the author of the book said it would no doubt go a long way to enhance knowledge as well as shed more light on issues of public discourse and enrich policy design and implementation process.
He said Mr. Ayorinde’s contributions and participation as the arrowhead of the media and strategy team during his gubernatorial campaign was instructive to what the State Government could achieve if members of the team are on the same page.
He urged Nigerians to enrich their personal libraries with the book, just as he called on spirited individuals and corporate organisations to purchase copies and endow the libraries of tertiary institutions in the State for the benefit of the students who are the future of our society.
In his remarks, Chairman of the occasion and former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba said in the last one year, Governor Ambode has silently embarked on massive transformation of the State.
He also commended the swiftness in which the Governor attends to issue of infrastructural renewal, saying many testimonies abound that Governor Ambode is a silent achiever, adding that such was what governance should be all about.
On his part, a public commentator and development expert, Professor Pat Utomi recalled the early days of Governor Ambode in office when he was criticized by many as lacking the capacity to lead the state, adding that his response then was “you got to think, plan and act,” adding that he was happy that the Governor has proved him right.
In her goodwill message, former Managing Director of Concord Newspapers, Dr. Doyin Abiola said she was proud that Lagos has always been a centre of excellence producing people of excellence.
She said: “I have never met the Governor and I have never had any discussion with him but from what he has been doing so far, it was clear that he was prepared for the job and he has been moving from step to step.
“I have always wondered how Lagos survived when the Local Government allocation of the state was withheld by the Federal Government. I could not understand it and it was said that Governor Ambode successfully managed the account of the state at that time and so I want to commend them for the good works they are doing and urge them to continue.”
The public presentation of the book was also witnessed by dignitaries including the Oba of Lagos, HRM Rilwan Akiolu 1, former deputy governors of Lagos State, Otunba Femi Pedro who represented Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Princess Sarah Sosan, representatives of Oyo and Osun State Governors, as well as the crème-de-la crème of various national dailies, including Chairman Editorial Board of The Nation Newspapers, Mr. Sam Omatseye, Editor, The Nation, Mr. Gbenga Omotosho, among others.
