Police Reform Panel: Afenifere Alleges Marginalisation

05.01.2008

The pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has expressed shock over the decision of President Umaru Yar’Adua not to include any Yoruba in the 16-member Police Reform Panel he recently set up.

Afenifere, in a statement on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, on Friday, said, “The Yoruba nation for several years now has made strident demands for the reform of the Nigerian Police to make it effective, community-friendly and responsive to the challenge of modern policing.

“It is in this regard that we have suggested the establishment of state police to be able to grapple with crime as a phenomenon with cultural content.

“We are flabbergasted that the opportunity to tinker with the police has effectively shut the Yoruba people out.

“In an ideal situation, we would have expected a broad-minded President to ensure that each geo-political zone in the country has at least three members in a 22-man committee.

“Or is the President saying the Yoruba do not need policing? Or are we no longer part of Nigeria?

“We would not buy any argument that Yar’Adua is only picking people on competence without geography.

“Would that explain why the Chairmen of his Political Reform Panel and Police Reform Committee are both from Kastina and the Chairman of Energy Council from Zaria?

“What Yar’Adua has done in this instance is to rub it on Yoruba face that the present government has a disdain for the Yoruba people.

“Afenifere demands the immediate disbandment of the committee as presently constituted and its reconstitution to include not less than three nominees from the South-West geo-political zone.

“Failure to do this will make the Yoruba nation to start drawing conclusions on the attitude of the Yar’Adua government.

“We must not conclude this without reminding Obasanjo why we asked him to do institutional restructuring in his eight wasted years instead of personnel restructuring.

“In less than eight months of leaving Aso Rock, Obasanjo can now see what is happening!”