Key Highlights
- The withdrawal of the Adamawa Commissioner of Police by the Inspector General of Police is with immediate effect.
- The Commissioner of Police in charge of Gombe State, CP Etim Equa, is to immediately proceed to Adamawa State for election security of the yet-to-be-concluded supplementary governorship poll.
- The police Spokesperson said the IGP has yet to receive any letter from INEC seeking the probe and prosecution of its embattled REC in Adamawa.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has ordered the Commissioner of Police on election duty in Adamawa State, Mohammed Barde, to withdraw from the state with immediate effect.
The IGP also subsequently ordered the Commissioner of Police in charge of Gombe State, CP Etim Equa, to immediately proceed to Adamawa State for election security of the yet-to-be-concluded supplementary governorship poll.
This was revealed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, while addressing journalists on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, in Abuja, where he stated that the IGP is committed to a free and fair process.
This is coming as officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reconvened and resumed the collation of results for Saturday’s supplementary governorship election in Yola, Adamawa State, amid tight security at the state collation centre.
What the Police Spokesperson is saying
- Adejobi said, “The IGP has given a directive that the commissioner of police on election security in Adamawa State, CP Barde should pull out of Adamawa State and the Commissioner of Police in charge of Gombe State, CP Etim Equa to proceed to Adamawa immediately, to go and supervise the election and provide the necessary information and ensure that the process is a success.”
Adejobi also said the IGP has yet to receive any letter from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking the probe and prosecution of its embattled Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa, Hudu Yunusa Ari.
In case you missed it
- Recall that on Sunday, April 16, 2023, INEC suspended collation for the Saturday supplementary governorship election in Adamawa after Ari announced Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner over the incumbent, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
- INEC had in a statement immediately said that the declaration by the Adamawa REC was null, void and of no effect and summoned Ari and other officials to Abuja. The commission said the declaration was a usurpation of the powers of the collation and returning officer.
- The electoral umpire also said it will write the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba to investigate and possibly prosecute Ari but the police are yet to get the letter.
- Before the collation exercise was suspended on Saturday night, results from 10 LGAs had been announced — and Binani was trailing Fintiri.
- The collation of results from the remaining 10 LGAs was expected to commence by 11 am on Sunday, and Mele Lamido, the returning officer for the Adamawa governorship election, was not present when Ari announced Binani as the winner of the election.