The deployment of police commissioners in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has elicited controversy and anger as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Conference of National Political Parties (CNPP) have picked holes in the choice of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s former Chief Security Officer (CSO), Kayode Egbetokun, as the new chief cop in Kwara State.
The PDP had earlier threatened to ditch the peace accord over what it called “the plot to redeploy a former Chief Security Officer to APC leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, CP Kayode Egbetokun, as Kwara State Commissioner of Police, where he has been handed the instruction to incite the people, cause pandemonium and pave the way for outright rigging in favor of President (Muhammadu) Buhari and all other candidates on the platform of APC.”
It claimed that, “this is in line with plans by the Buhari presidency and the APC to effect a mass deployment of top security officers, particularly the police, to intimidate, harass and manhandle Nigerians that will not support the self-succession bid of President Muhammadu Buhari as well as aiding APC thugs to snatch ballot boxes and orchestrate violence in the elections.”
Addressing reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the state chairman of the Conference of National Political Parties (CNPP), Alhaji Adebayo Lawal, said it would be odd to post Egbetokun to a “state where Tinubu is known to have strong interest in securing political dominance.” Lawal said: “Late yesterday, we received credible intelligence that the Federal Government had concluded plans with the police hierarchy to deploy Egbetokun to Kwara, which is in furtherance of their plot to manipulate the forthcoming elections in the state.”
The coalition of opposition parties recalled that the new CP had been announced as Lagos police boss at the tail of the immediate past IGP Ibrahim Idris’ administration but was reversed by his successor, Adamu Mohammed, perhaps on same ground of alleged partisanship. It argued that the change was suspicious and indicated a “desperation on the part of the APC, more so, as the incumbent police commissioner in the state was only recently posted here.”
The Police Service Commission (PSC) Thursday approved the appointment and deployment of 37 Command Commissioners of Police for the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The commissioners are: Buba Sanusi, (Katsina); Mohammed Wakili, (Kano); Rabiu Ladodo, (Jigawa); Ahmed Iliyasu, (Ogun); Mu’azu Zubairu, (Lagos); Ibrahim Sabo, (Niger); Alkassam Sanusi, (Taraba); Garba Mukaddas, (Adamawa) and Omololu Bishi, (Benue). Others are: Olushola David, (Bayelsa); Adeleke Yinka, (Delta); Austin Agbonlahor, (Cross River); Bashir Makama, (Akwa Ibom); Awosola Awotunde, (Ebonyi); Belel Usman, (Rivers); Bello Makwashi, (Gombe) and Abdulrahman Ahmed, (Kaduna).
Other officers deplored are: Bala Ciroma, Federal Capital Territory (FCT); Egbetokun Kayode, (Kwara); Hakeem Busari, (Kogi); Asuquo Amba, (Ekiti); Galadanchi Dasuki, (Imo); Suleiman Balarabe, (Enugu);, Dandaura Mustapha, (Anambra); Etim Ene Okon, (Abia) and Ibrahim Kaoje, (Sokoto); Celestine Okoye, (Zamfara); Garba Danjuma, (Kebbi); Abiodun Ige, (Osun); Undie Adie, (Ondo); Olukolu Shina, (Oyo); Ali Janga, (Bauchi); Damian Chukwu, (Borno); Sumonu Abdulmalik, (Yobe); Bola Longe, (Nassarawa); Isaac Akinmoyede, (Plateau) and Odumosu Hakeem, (Edo).
According to the spokesman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, the appointees are to resume duties before the commencement of the general elections. The spokesman said that approval has been conveyed to the acting Inspector General of Police for implementation. Ani said that the Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, has charged the CPs to settle down at their commands and to ensure peaceful, free, fair and transparent elections. He said that the nation could not afford any disruption of the elections as the world was watching Nigeria.