PDP to Buhari: For peaceful polls, let IG retire Jan 15

The Peoples Democratic Party has called on President Muhammadu
Buhari to allow the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris,
retire on January 15, the IG’s 60th birthday.

The party said this was one of the ways the President could
convince Nigerians and the international community about his
commitment to have free, fair and acceptable elections this
year.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kola
Ologbondiyan, who stated this while answering questions in Abuja on
Wednesday, said there was no need to extend the tenure of the
IG.

He said the police force as an institution had many officers
that were capable of leading the NPF.

There are insinuations that the Presidency is plotting to extend
the tenure of Idris because of his alleged closeness to Buhari and
the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress.

However, the PDP said that President Buhari must show evidence
that he would match his words with action, just as he said in his
New Year message that the coming elections would not be a do-or-die
affair.

Nevertheless, Ologbondiyan said that if the APC and the
President were not planning anything negative, they should allow
Idris to retire.

He said, “One of the ways to demonstrate or show that he
(President Buhari) is committed to free, fair and credible
elections, is not to extend the tenure of the IG, who is due for
retirement this month.

“He has said that he is committed to having transparent
elections. He needs to tell Nigerians by his actions, and not
merely with words of mouth.”