The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has ordered that the Commissioner of Police on election duty in Adamawa State, Mohammed Barde, withdraw from the state with immediate effect.
The IGP also ordered that the Commissioner of Police in charge of Gombe State, CP Etim Equa immediately proceed to Adamawa State for election security.
Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, while addressing pressmen on Tuesday, April 18, in Abuja, said the IGP is committed to a free and fair process.
He said, “The IGP has given 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 election and provide 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 in Adamawa, Hudu Yunusa Ari.
INEC had on Sunday suspended collation for the Saturday supplementary governorship election in Adamawa after Ari announced Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner over the incumbent, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
INEC had immediately summoned Ari to Abuja and declared his announcement an invalid declaration and an 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 probe and 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 11am 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.
