by Our Correspondent

Forty Police Officers including the Director of Operations [DOP] of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Stephen Otitiju have been promoted by the Police Service Commission (PSC). ACP Stephen Otitiju was elevated to the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).

Equally promoted is one the finest Police legal officers, Mr. Cletus Ezerebo, who was wrongfully dismissed from the Police during the administration of Mr. Sunday Ehindero, for allegedly nursing the ambition of becoming Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

According to a statement by Mr. Ferdinand Ekpe, Chief Information Officer of the PSC, the decision to elevate the eight DCPs, 10 ACPs and 22 Chief Superintendent of Police (CSPs) was taken at the end of the 16th Plenary meeting of the PSC held between the 7th and 8th of July, 2010, at its Abuja Head Office.

Saying the decisions were to ginger “smooth administration of the Force”, Mr. Ekpe gave the names of the affected officers as: DCP Abdulraham Olajide Akano; Felix Osita Uyanna; DCP David O. Omojala; DCP A.J. Abakasanga; DCP Jubril Olawale Adeniji; DCP Abdullahi Magaji; DCP Ibrahim M. Maishanu; and the DCP (Operations in the FCT Police Command), DCP Adenrele Tasheed Shinaba.

The 10 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) who had fulfilled all conditions set out by the PSC were also elevated to the rank of Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP).
They include: Aja Igwe Nwankwo (Promoted Posthumously); Thomas O. Etomi; Augustine O. Evbarhabokun; Esosa A.M. Amadasun; Idoighiran Omo-Bare; and Oyewole Oloyede.

Other ACPs so elevated include James Ogbonna; Stephen Otitoju; Caroline D. Adelayo; and Edmon D. Dumbiri.
Equally promoted were 22 Chief Superintendents of Police (CSPs) moved up to the position of Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs).

They are: Cletus O.C. Ezerebo; Abdul Wada; Musa Ibrahim; Gabriel Haruna; Patrick Emeka Ezeani; Henry Mariere Idioda; Dr. R. Idogho; Charles Obiajulu-Chima; Agbolagade Adedokun; Paul Ezeribe and Gideon Akinsola.
Other affected CSP included: Henry Nwadei; Emmanuel Omojuwa Okoroloko; Joshua Oyewole; Emmanuel Wokeh Amadi; Joseph Agogoesi; Lawrence Onwuka; Micheal Osho; Amos Marcus Omuiyadun; Micheal Vigara; Anthony Emonyuya Okpara and Adetunji Owolabi.

The PSC said all the promotions are with effect from the 7th of July, 2010, except for that of Mr. Cletus O.C. Ezerebo, which was back-dated to the 6th of April, 2010.

APGA Dispute: Chekwas Alleges Distortion Of Supreme Court Ruling

All Progressive Grand Alliance [APGA], Chekwas Okorie faction has vehemently objected to media reports of the recent ruling which emanated from the Supreme Court on the leadership tussle in the party describing it as “fraudulent and a malicious distortion of facts.”

APGA in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie lamented what it explained was the willingness of some journalists to be misled into siding with the Victor Umeh faction of the party in the dispute.
The statement is reproduced in full: “It has become our recurring sordid experience to always have the unpleasant need to correct misleading reports about proceedings and pronouncements of Court since the APGA leadership dispute started in various courts of the land in 2005. We have repeated times without number that no court in Nigeria has ever declared Victor Umeh as the National Chairman of APGA.

“We have also reiterated that there is no pending suit or application in court in which Chief Victor Umeh is seeking to be declared National Chairman of APGA. In spite of these incontrovertible facts which are expected to be sacred, many media organizations have continued to refer to Chief Victor Umeh as the National Chairman of APGA.
“In the midst of these various misleading publications, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after their Board meeting issued a statement on 14th May 2009, to state its stand on the APGA leadership question where the Commission stated unequivocally that “…the Commission has not recognized Chief Victor Umeh as the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)”, (See full Statement attached).

“On several occasions Umeh had sponsored media reports that court affirmed his Chairmanship of APGA. He has never backed any of these claims with an enrolled Order or Judgment of court to that effect because no such order or judgment exists in the records of all the courts in Nigeria.

“On Monday 12th July 2010, we were at the Supreme Court to move a motion for an injunction to restrain Umeh and his cohorts from further misleading the public and causing confusion in the party. The Justices of the Supreme Court advised that an injunction may also affect the political party which is in the suit with me as appellants/applicants.
“The Justices therefore advised that it would be better to deal with the substantive appeal which has been slated to be heard on 7th October 2010. The Justices further advised that it would be in the interest of the political party and Nigeria if the parties in the dispute explored reconciliation option in order to approach the 2011 election as a united political party. In due deference to the intervention and wise counsel of the Justices of the Supreme Court, our Counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) withdrew our motion for injunction.

“I want to stress that this motion was never moved and argued and that the counter-motion filed by Umeh's counsel was equally not moved and argued. Therefore no ruling emanated from a withdrawn motion. It is amazing, provocative and sad that Umeh will in his characteristic manner sponsor an outright distortion of what transpired at the Supreme Court of Nigeria. It is a wicked lie to mislead the public with the false information that the Supreme Court passed judgment against me and affirmed my so-called expulsion from APGA.

“The highest Court of the land that reserved October 7, 2010, to hear our substantive appeal could not have passed any judgment or made far-reaching pronouncements on an appeal it is yet to hear. I will not be the only Nigerian who was victim of travesty of justice at the trial court and Court of Appeal and finally obtained justice at the Supreme Court. Recent examples of those who passed through my present ordeal and obtained justice at the apex Court include; Mr. Peter Obi, the present Governor of Anambra State, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, the present Governor of Rivers State and Chief Bernard Longe, the former Managing Director of First Bank.

“There is no amount of false propaganda that will change Victor Umeh's status from being the former Treasurer of APGA to being the National Chairman of the party without the process of a duly convened National Convention in which he may be elected Chairman.

“There are many Nigerians today who will bear eloquent testimony to our desire for reconciliation which we have demonstrated in many ways in the past five years. It is Umeh and his sponsors who have remained arrogant and recalcitrant because of their easy access to Anambra State financial leverage. It is on record that we demonstrated similar desire for reconciliation when we publicly adopted Mr. Peter Obi on 10th October 2009, as the party's consensus candidate for the 2010 Governorship election in Anambra State. In return to this wonderful gesture, Obi and Umeh publicly ridiculed us that we have been forced to lick our vomit. That is not the attitude of those who want reconciliation.

“We are satisfied and indeed confident that the present INEC under Professor Attahiru Jega as Chairman will relate with political parties in consonance with the provisions of the Constitutions of political parties registered with the Commission. We therefore, do not entertain the fear that the present INEC Chairman can be persuaded or induced to handover nomination forms meant for APGA candidates to a non-officer of the party as was the case under Professor Maurice Iwu's INEC.

“Similarly, those who have been misled into possessing fake membership cards of the party illegally printed by Umeh instead of the authentic one registered with the Commission will not be accepted as bona fide members of APGA for the purpose of their nomination as candidates of the party. It must be affirmed that only bona fide members of APGA shall be eligible to participate in the Party's primaries and congresses. We remain open and committed to any effort to achieve genuine reconciliation in APGA.” Chief Chekwas Okorie, National Chairman, APGA.