Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the once dreaded chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was last Tuesday rewarded with a demotion from Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) by the Police Service Commission (PSC).

The demotion is coming about eight months after he was sent on a course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and quietly removed as EFCC boss.

His new position is three ranks below the AIG with which he enlisted at NIPSS.

The demotion was announced on Tuesday by the newly constituted Police Service Commission, after extensive deliberation on the issue of 139 other officers whose promotions were said to have not conformed to Due Process.

PSC explained that, his promotion from Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) to Commissioner of Police (CP); and then Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) by the administration of former Olusegun Obasanjo did not follow procedure.

The list of the demotion exercise signed by PSC Chairman, Parry Osayande, also showed that a total 140 other officers were equally affected:

According to him, 'the officers never qualified for promotion', which must be based on seniority and merit, including spending a minimum three years in a rank, attending and passing a promotion course, confirmation that he or she is in the field of selection, and recommendation for promotion by the departmental selection board.

"In order to restore the broken-down disciplinary mechanism, which has sustained the police over the years, the Commission has decided to cancel the promotion of the 140 officers whose promotion breached the established criteria. Accordingly, all those affected should revert to their former ranks with immediate effect. Those who are qualified, and meet the established criteria, will be considered for promotion on merit, subject to available vacancies and recommendation of the (IG)."

It "observed that because the mechanism for the transparent performance of the statutory duties of the PSC and the Inspector General of Police appeared to have broken down totally at the time (Obasanjo's Presidency), issues of appointment, promotion, discipline and appeals were unduly influenced from outside and within the police.

Based on the latest demotion saga, many have come to term that nemesis is fast closing up on Ribadu, the once most highly rated Nigerian corps who bestrode the length and breath of the nation like a Goliath and his likes who enjoyed undue advantage over their colleagues. This latest revelation whether right or wrong, has exposed how excessive manipulations from the Presidency has devastated the activities of civil service in Nigeria. it is part and parcel of Obasanjo's political legacy which is yet to be fully dissected.