PSC removes Naja’atu from election duties after APC petition
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has removed Najatu Mohammed as one of the coordinators to monitor police personnel in the North West during Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.
Ms Mohammed represents women interest and the North West in the PSC. Her name was announced on Monday as one of the coordinators for Saturday’s elections.
But her nomination was opposed by Festus Keyamo, Director of Public Affairs and Chief Spokesperson for the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.
Keyamo, in a statement described the appointment as “callous, insensitive, openly confrontational and consequently unacceptable by the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.”
Consequently, the Commission approved the appointment of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Bawa Lawal (rtd), as her replacement.
Lawal is from the same North West geopolitical zone.
PSC Head, Press and Public Relations Ikechukwu Ani, in a statement noted that the Commission has commissioners representing different geopolitical zones, who always supervised its assignments in their respective zones.
He said: “The Commission has however decided to mandate Assistant Inspector General of Police Bawa Lawal retd who is from the same geopolitical Zone with 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.”
Ms Mohammed had openly castigated the APC and its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while drumming support for the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
