Naja’atu Muhammad has been replaced by retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Bawa Lawal by the Police Service Commission to oversee the monitoring of police officers’ conduct in the North-West during the presidential election.
This was in response to the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council’s Monday accusations of Naja’atu’s partisanship.
Within Nigeria had earlier reported that the PSC on Sunday had announced the appointment of the former Director of the Civil Society directorate of the APC PCC, Naja’atu, as one of the coordinators that will supervise conduct of police officers during general forthcoming elections.
Along with 44 other people, Naja’atu was appointed by the commission, which also threatened to discipline any police officers who misbehaved while the 2019 general elections were being held in 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Remember how, following her resignation from the party and her position, the Kano-born politician criticized the ruling APC and its Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, saying that the difficulties Nigeria faces require her to continue leading the fight for a better country with a clear conscience.
However, controversy soon followed her public criticism of the APC and Bola Tinubu, the party’s candidate.
In a statement on Monday, the PSC said, “The attention of the PSC was drawn to a press statement by the APC PCC on the appointment of Naja’atu representing women Interest and the North-West in the commission as one of the coordinators for the monitoring of police conduct in the February 25 presidential election which the council accused of partisanship.
“The statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs and chief spokesperson, Tinubu/Shettima PCC, Festus Keyamo, SAN, rejected the appointment of commissioner Naja’atu as coordinator for the exercise.
“The spokesperson stated in the press statement that the ‘appointment is callous, insensitive, openly confrontational’ and consequently unacceptable by the Tinubu/Shettima PCC.
“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 AIG Bawa Lawal (retd.) who is from the same geopolitical zone with commissioner Naja’atu 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.”