Rtd Supreme Court Justice, Clara Ogunbiyi, Replaces Smith, Assumes Duties as Acting Chair of PSC

*Pledges to run an inclusive administration based on rule of law 

*Union suspends strike

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

A retired Supreme Court Justice, Clara Ogunbiyi, yesterday, assumed duties as Acting Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) following the resignation of former Inspector-General of Police, Musiliu Smith.
A statement by the commission said Ogunbiyi pledged to run a broad, rules-based administration, as the workers union of the commission suspended its strike in order to study the new management.

She said the commission deserved the best and promised to ensure that the management strove to give the staff a commission to be proud of.  
“We will do our best, by the grace of God, and I believe our best will be good enough,” she pledged.

Ogunbiyi was until her nomination Commissioner 1 in the commission and next in hierarchy to the former chairman. She expressed her appreciation to her colleagues for their confidence in her ability to lead the commission.

The statement said Ogunbiyi was nominated by Smith to replace him pending the appointment of a new chairman by the president.
It explained, “The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Alhaji Musiliu Adeola Kunbi Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police, has formally resigned his appointment. His resignation, which has been accepted by Mr. President, takes immediate effect. Alhaji Smith retired on health grounds.

“Following his resignation and pursuant to Schedule 2(4) sub-section 2(2) of the Police Service Commission Establishment Act 2001, Members of the Management of the Commission met yesterday (Wednesday), September 14th, 2022, and nominated a colleague, Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, as the acting Chairman, pending the appointment of a new Chairman by Mr. President.”

Meanwhile, the Joint Union Congress of the commission suspended its strike action to allow the new management to look into its demands.

In a chat with THISDAY, Chairman of the union, Mr Adoyi Adoyi, said the union suspended the strike to allow the new leadership attend to the cause of the industrial action. He said the new management had already taken some steps to reverse the contentious decisions that precipitated the strike.

Adoyi said, “We have suspended the strike. It is only natural that we do so in order to give the management a chance. The management has already begun to reverse some of the decisions that gave rise to the strike action.

“We have suspended the strike in order to give them a chance. We have not called it off. We will monitor developments for the next two weeks and know the next step to take.”

The present management of the commission was inaugurated on July 25, 2018 and is expected to exit on July 24, 2023.