Police Commission Succumbs To Pressure, Removes Naja’atu From Election Duty

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has announced the removal of Naja’atu Muhammad as the North-West coordinator of the Commission for election duty in the February 25 and March 11 general polls.

PSC spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, in a statement on Monday, said the commission is committed to free and fair elections and will contribute its quota to the sustenance of democracy.

He said the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Bawa Lawal who is from the same geopolitical zone Naja’atu will take over the coordination of the monitoring of police conduct in the zone.

Naja’atu’s replacement followed a protest by the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), rejecting her appointment.

The PSC had appointed Muhammad, a former Director of the Civil Society Directorate of the APC PCC as one of the coordinators to supervise the conduct of police officers during the 2023 elections.

Naja’atu had openly criticised the APC flag bearer, Bola Tinubu after she joined the camp of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The APC PCC, in a statement on Monday by its spokesman, Festus Keyamo, said “the role given to Naja’atu requires a honest and unbiased individual who will discharge the duties diligently and without reproach” and demanded her immediate withdrawal.

The PSC subsequently said the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Bawa Lawal who is from the same geopolitical zone Naja’atu will take over the coordination of the monitoring of police conduct in the zone.

“The Commission wishes to state with all sense of responsibility that its Commissioners representing different geopolitical zones have always supervised assignments of the Commission in the geopolitical zones they represent. It was the same with the present national assignment,’ the PSC stated.

“The Commission will always be sensitive to the wishes of Nigerians and will continue to contribute its quota to the sustenance of the nation’s democracy.

“It wishes to restate its commitment to a free and fair 2023 elections where the Police as the lead Agency in internal security which includes election policing will discharge it’s duties according to the dictates of the law.”