PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has, on Thursday, in Lagos, explained why he retained immediate past Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, when he assumed office, saying he did so not because (Arase) possesses strategy and tactics as a police officer, but because of his intellect and capacity as an operation person.
Arase was appointed into office by the immediate past President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
The president made this disclosure through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, who represented him at the public presentation of a book entitled, “Cascade of Change, A Decade of Liberal Thoughts,” which was authored by Mr Steve Ayorinde, the sitting Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State.
According to Adesina, who spoke at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Arase had expected that Buhari would sack him before the end of his tenure.
Adesina said that President Buhari, who spoke at a farewell dinner organised in honour of Arase, gave reasons why he retained Arase till the end of his tenure to include the quality of his mind being an author who had written many books and also for his capacity as an operation person.
The president’s aide told the gathering that Buhari appreciates sound mind and intellect “and that shows the goodwill he has for Mr Steve Ayorinde, the author of the book we are launching today.”
Speaking further, Adesina said Arase was delighted to have been invited to a farewell dinner, pointing out that the immediate past IG, found such gesture from Mr President very strange.
His words: “While he (Arase) was speaking at the dinner, he told the president that it was very strange for him to have been invited for a farewell dinner because what we know in Nigeria is that you are sacked on pages of newspapers. So, everyday he had the trepidation that he would hear that he had been removed.”
Speaking on the launch, Adesina commended the author, Mr Ayorinde for the work, urging Nigerians to emulate him by contributing their quota to knowledge.
