APC, PDP disagree over removal of police commissioner

Seven days to the conduct of the governorship election, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Finihan Adeoye has been removed. The Guardian learnt that he has been moved to Osun State.

But the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, said: “Mr. Adeoye, who replaced Mr. Chris Ezike about three weeks ago and was saddled with the responsibility of coordinating the security arrangement for the governorship election, which holds on September 28, is said to have been removed over his disagreement with the state governor, Adams Oshiomhole on the use of police personnel, before and on the day of election.

“It is gathered that the governor had taken offence that the commissioner was not in support of the recent indiscriminate arrests and detention of members of the opposition PDP which is said to have been ordered by the governor as part of the plan to manipulate the election in favour of the ruling APC.

“It said that the commissioner’s objection to this line of action by the men under his command had drastically reduced the planned onslaught on the members of the PDP and made the release of those arrested, prompt and relatively easy.”

But the state commissioner for Information and Orientation, Kassim Afegbua in a reaction yesterday said: “We are not the Nigeria Police Force. The institution has its own command structure under the supervision of the Inspector General of Police. We couldn’t have played any role in who becomes Commissioner of Police. It is purely police affairs and please don’t drag us into this.”

Afegbua stated that, “Under the PDP regime of oppression, they bastardised the Nigeria Police and turned it into an arm of the PDP oligarchy. Under the APC change agenda, we are not only allowing the military and paramilitary institutions to run professionally, we are building a new police institution that would be responsive to the challenges of modern policing.

“As per the elections, we have nothing to fear because we believe in the sanctity of the ballot box. We are for votes but PDP is for rigging; so only them have cause to fear. We will trounce them silly come Wednesday September 28.“Any attempt for the PDP to exhibit their peculiar traits will be resisted wholeheartedly,” he said.