If President Jonathan must succeed in moving Nigeria forward within the four years of his rule, it is high time he started being very serious with placing the right persons in the right places. The era of groping should be considered over and governing the present-day Nigeria has become serious business; incidences like ‘banning’ and ‘unbanning’ the importation of bottled water and toothpicks which our country is able to produce. In thelight of this, bringing Okonjo-Iweala and giving her a free hand to handle the economic development of our nation is very important. Promises must now be fulfilled and sentiments should take the rear seat. He needs a thorough re-jigging of the whole process for the nation to move forward.
In a better organised society, the present happenings within the ranks of the police are enough for the inspector-general of police to resign from office. The president should recognise how this man was, in the first instance appointed. Though nothing is wrong with the giving someone the opportunity. Nevertheless, when such opportunities do not yield the expected results, he should be at liberty to review that said opportunity, because such would re-invigorate citizens’ trust in his capabilities. He needs to take the bull by the horns.
The president’s fraternising with Ringim (which can be blamed for his continued, insulting stay in office) began when Ringim was Bayelsa’s commissioner of police and Jonathan was the Bayelsa deputy governor. It is therefore normal if someone prefers working with the ‘devil’ he knows than the ‘angel’ he does not. President Jonathan ensured that Ringim was promoted to the position of assistant inspector-general of police, as soon as he assumed the position of vice-president. At least, it was to encourage a perceived ‘hardworking’ cop and a friend-in-need.But what many did not appreciate was that as soon as Ringim became the AIG incharge of the south-east Police Zonal Command, criminal activities in the area soared.
Pouring salt on injury, the president double-promoted Ringim to head the entire police force and forcing Onovo who had not completed his tenure to retire prematurely. Many believed that that was a gift too freely given to a man who could not control a smaller jurisdiction like the South-east command. Ringim’s incompetency and compromise continued to grow because he believed he had the tiger behind him. That was why, despite nation-wide outcry, the president kept quiet as Ringim re-assigned all the state police commissioners on March 31, 2011, prior to national elections, but openly left behind the one in Akwa Ibom State, a state many believed its chief executive was one of the major financiers of his then presidential bid. Ringim also unguardedly ‘insulted’ the ‘boko haram’, causing them to decide to teach him a ‘lesson’.
What is Ringim waiting for to resign? What is President Jonathan waiting for before he does the right thing which is sacking Ringim against the back-drop of his catalogue of failures and breach of national trust?
Alhaji Garba Salem,wrote in from 298 Apapa Road, Ijora-Lagos.