the first major casualty of the just concluded general elections,
which President Goodluck Jonathan and his party, the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, lost to the opposition.
The police officer, who was elevated to the post only last year,
incurred the wrath of the Presidency on the eve of the governorship
and House of Assembly elections for allegedly arguing with the
government officials over the directive to recall the Assistant
Inspector-General of Police in Charge of Zone 6, Tunde Ogunshakin,
from Rivers State.
DIG Solomon Arase replaces Suleiman Abba as Inspector General of Police
Abba, it was learnt, had deployed Ogunshakin from his base in Calabar
to Port Harcourt to oversee the governorship election in Rivers State
following complaints by Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, that
the police had collaborated with the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, and the PDP to intimidate APC members and rig the
presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
His refusal to pick calls over Ogunshakin's recall
Another source said the former police boss reportedly ignored
presidency official's objection to the deployment of Ogunshakin to
Rivers State on the allegation that the police officer was sympathetic
to Amaechi and his party and would, therefore, not allow the PDP win
the state.
A Presidency source toldVanguardthat on learning that the IG had
defied its order by redeploying Ogunshakin to Rivers State to
supervise the governorship elections. A presidency official called the
former police boss to recall the AIG with immediate effect from Rivers
State or face the consequences.
The source said the presidency felt slighted when it could not get
through to Abba.
The former police boss reportedly to the Presidency that AIG
Ogunshakin was a formidable Police officer whom he described as a
'no-nonsense officer' feared and respected in the Police Force
hierarchy and capable of ensuring law and order in the place of new
assignment.
Vanguard learnt that although the sacked IG reluctantly recalled
Ogunshakin from Rivers State, forcing him to quit Port Harcourt by 5
am on the election day, Presidency did not forgive Abba for
redeploying Ogunshakin reluctantly.
Presence at Buhari's certificate of return presentation
Another sin of the former IG was his presence at the presentation of
the Certificate of Return to Muhammadu Buhari at the International
Conference Centre on April 1, 2015, which convinced the Presidency
that the IG was actually working for the opposition and it moved
quickly against him.
Arase replaces Abba
The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Public Affairs, Dr.
Doyin Okupe, could not also be reached for comments on the
development.
Abba's sack was announced by the president's spokesman, Reuben Abati,
in a statement yesterday. No reason was given for the sack while a
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, was appointed to
act in his stead.
Abati's statement read in full: "President Goodluck Jonathan has
relieved the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, of his
appointment and duties with immediate effect.
"President Jonathan has also appointed Deputy Inspector-General of
Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, as Acting Inspector-General of Police, also
with immediate effect.
"Until his appointment as Mr. Abba's replacement, Mr. Arase was the
Head of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department.
"Mr. Arase holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Law, as well as
Bachelors and Masters degrees in Political Science and Strategic
Studies.
"He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence College."
Mr. Abba, 56, became acting Inspector General on August 1, 2014
following the retirement of his predecessor, Mohammed Abubakar, after
35 years of public service.
He was confirmed substantive IGP on November 4, 2014.
Abba was, until that appointment, an Assistant Inspector General, AIG,
in charge of Zone 7 Command, a position he occupied since May 25,
2012. He was also an Aide-De-Camp, ADC, to the wife of a former
military Head of State, Maryam Abacha.
With his removal, Mr. Abba will proceed on forced retirement, four
years before he attains retirement age.
He enlisted in the Nigeria Police as Cadet Inspector on December 31,
1984 and is actually due for retirement on March 22, 2019.
--Vanguard
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