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Police Service Commission Bows To Pressure, Drops Najatu From Election Supervision
The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, kicked against her inclusion into the list
The Police Service Commission, PSC, has dropped Najatu Mohammed from monitoring the conduct of police officers during the February 25 presidential elections.
Mrs Mohammed, who represents the North West region and women’s groups in the commission, was earlier appointed to supervise the conduct of police officers in the region.
Recall that shortly after announcing Mrs Mohammed’s nomination, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, kicked against her inclusion into the list, describing it as callous, insensitive, and confrontational to the party.
The party had also accused her of partisanship and called for her immediate withdrawal from the exercise.
Reacting. the commission spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, in a statement on Monday, disclosed that Mrs Mohammed has been replaced by Bawa Lawal, a retired Assistant Inspector General of the Police.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Police Service Commission has been drawn to a press statement by the All Progressive Congress Presidential campaign council on the appointment of Hon Commissioner Najatu Mohammed, representing women’s interests and the North West in the Commission, as one of the coordinators for the monitoring of police conduct in the February 25th presidential election, which the council accused of partisanship.
“The Statement signed by Festus Keyamo, SAN, Director of Public Affairs and Chief Spokesperson Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, rejected the appointment of Commissioner Najatu as Coordinator for the exercise.
“The Campaign Council Spokesperson stated in the Press Statement that the appointment is not only “callous,” it is insensitive, openly confrontational, and consequently unacceptable by the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.
“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 Commission has however decided to mandate Assistant Inspector General of Police Bawa Lawal rtd, who is from the same geopolitical zone as Commissioner Najatu, to take over the coordination of the monitoring of police conduct in the zone.
“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 its duties according to the dictates of the law.”