PDP Govs Reject New Police Act, Describe It As Unconstitutional

Governor elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday rejected sections of the Police Act recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The govvernors called for a repeal to the sections in a communique issued after a Zoom meeting and signed by the Chairman of the forum, Aminu Tambuwal, who is also the governor of Sokoto State.

The governor described as unconstitutional Section 4(1) of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act, 2019.

The section “purportedly authorises the President to deduct 0.5% of the total revenue accruing to the Federation Account for the benefit of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund.”

The PDP governors called on President Buhari and the National Assembly to repeal the section.

The communiqué read in part, “The meeting noted the signing of the New Nigeria Police Act, 2020 by Mr. President, Commander in Chief.

“While acknowledging the many important innovations in the new law, the Forum emphasised the need to make the Nigeria Police Council, which has Mr. President as Chairman and 36 state Governors as members, fully operational and the clearing house on all issues bordering on the organisation and administration of the Nigeria Police Force as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

“The Forum further observed the discrepancies in S.12(2) and S.12(4) of the Act on the appropriate authority with responsibility to deploy Police Commissioners to the respective States. Whereas S.12(2) gives the responsibility to the Police Service Commission, S. 12(4) gives either the Police Service Commission or Inspector-General of Police the same responsibility.

“This is even more regrettable as the Constitution gives this responsibility to the Police Service Commission (S. 215) (1)(b). We advise that the constitutional provision be upheld.

“Furthermore, the Forum canvassed for appropriate consultations with the Governors of various States on the deployment of Police Commissioners to the States since the Police is a common institution that executes the laws of both the Federal and State governments.

“The Forum implored Mr. President and the National Assembly to repeal Section 4(1) of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act, 2019 which purports to authorise the President to deduct 0.5 per cent of the total revenue accruing to the Federation Account for the benefit of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund, as it is patently unconstitutional.

“The beneficiaries of the Federation Account are the Federal, States and Local Governments only. More creative funding options should be explored.”

Naija News reports that the zoom meeting was attended by Governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Udom Emmanue (Akwa Ibom), Senator Bala Muhammad (Bauchi); and Douye Diri (Bayelsa).

Others are: Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde (Oyo) and Bello Muhammad Matawalle (Zamfara).