Intrigues, high wire politicking and intensive lobbying are at work at the Presidency and Police Force Headquarters (FHQ), Louis Edet House Garki, Abuja, as President Goodluck Jonathan shops for a new Inspector-General (IG) of Police, ahead of retirement of incumbent Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar.

Although, Abubakar is due for statutory retirement on July 31, he is said to be lobbying for one year extension.

CEOAFRICA gathered that as Abubakar intensifies lobbying top members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to extend his tenure, the President has discussed with some of his cabinet members on a credible officer to replace him.

Many senior officers who are interested in the job are also said to be mounting pressures on those who have the ears of the President.

Some of the cabinet members of the President are also said to be making consultations, and pushing for officers they believe will perform creditably and who would be loyal to them on personal interests.

Investigations by Daily Independent revealed that different interested persons have pushed names of seven senior police officers forward to the President.

Three are from the South-South geo-political zone, while four are from the Northern part of the country.

Those from the South-South include controversial former Rivers State Police Commissioner (CP), Joseph Mbu, now CP, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), from Akwa Ibom State; Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police, Intelligence, Solomon Arase, from Edo State; and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police in charge of ‘B’ Operations Department, Mike Zoukumor, from Bayelsa State.

Those from North include DIG in charge of ‘A’ Administration Department, Suleiman Fakai, from Kebbi State; AIG Zone 7, Suleiman Abba, from Jigawa State; AIG Zone 5 Benin, Hashimu Argungu, also from Kebbi and AIG Zone 10 Sokoto, Bala Hassan from Kano State.

 Investigations by CEOAFRICA revealed that Fakai is penetrating the Presidency through former Governor of his state, Adamu Aliero, and other top political office holders in the PDP.

However, Argungu was said to have been recommended on merit by some retired police officers and top politicians. He is believed to be very strict, hard working and abhors corruption.

Abba is said to be penetrating the Presidency through a retired IG and some top politicians in the FCT.

He is also known to be cool-headed and hard working.

However, Hassan appears to have and edge over others from the North, as a result of several qualities.

He has six university Degrees with three Masters, with one of them on Law. He is also cool-headed, tough and experienced.

 Several officers who spoke to CEOAFRICA under anonymity agreed that “if the next IG should come from the North, Bala Hassan is more acceptable”.

 Investigations have equally revealed that several retired police officers, top politicians and some of the kitchen cabinet members of the President have strongly recommended Hassan to Jonathan.

 But from our investigations, there is a great hurdle on the ways of Hassan, as some South-South leaders are strongly opposing a Northerner becoming the next police boss.

 Even as the ethnic battle is playing a fundamental role in choosing the next IG, the incumbent, Abubakar, is believed to be penetrating members of the President’s kitchen cabinet.

 A Presidency source disclosed that “it is likely Mr. President will extend his tenure, because our national (PDP) chairman is happy with the role of the police in the last Ekiti State governorship election”.

 Apart from the PDP chairman, investigations further revealed that business mogul and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, and Vice President Namadi Sambo as well as Senate President, David Mark, are pressuring Jonathan to extend Abubakar’s tenure by one year.

 Our source disclosed that “they believe that Abubakar would ensure that the PDP wins the Presidential election, just as the party won the Ekiti State governorship on June 21”.

 But the South-South leaders have contrary belief.

 They are arguing that they have more confidence in a South-South IG to conduct the general elections in 2015.

 One of them, a traditional ruler and a member of the South-South traditional rulers’ forum, stressed that “two IGs from the North since our brother became President have failed”.

 “Look at Boko Haram, the Nigerian Army has taken over the fight because the police have failed. Is fighting Boko Haram the job of the Army, are we fighting a war?” the leader queried.

 “It is a pity that he (President) surrounds himself with northerners in sensitive positions”, he lamented, saying Jonathan should ensure that one of the two senior police officers from the South-South was appointed.

The leader stressed that “it is wrong to zone security appointments”.

 Perhaps that is one reason Mbu is said to be using Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, to penetrate the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, to be considered for the plum job.

 But many high-ranking police officers are said to be mounting pressure against him using top politicians of PDP and business moguls to dissuade the President from yielding.

 Their grouse is that if Mbu is appointed, many senior police officers who are currently senior to him will be forced to retire.Some of them are also accusing Mbu of arrogance to officers who are his senior.

 For instance, a source at the FHQ disclosed that “most times he (Mbu) does not pick calls from even DIGs. So you can imagine how bad the situation is”, the officer lamented.

 And for DIG Zuokumor who is due for statutory retirement in August 2015, and AIG Arase in June 2016, South-South leaders are said to be making strong case for either of them.

 Our investigations revealed that several retired senior police officers from the South-South, South-West and South-East are strongly supporting the appointment of any of the two officers from the South-South.

 Interestingly, a source at FHQ disclosed that some Northern top Muslims have spoken to the President in favour of one of them.

 Both of them are said to be versatile, experienced, hardworking and intelligent.

Sources:CEOAFRICA, Daily Independent