PDP asks IG to redeploy Kogi CP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign council in Kogi state, on Tuesday, asked the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to redeploy the commissioner of police in the state, Hakeem Busari.

Apart from Busari, the party also demanded the replacement of the Director of State Security Service (SSS) in the state.

The opposition party accused the state police commissioner of taking sides with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The party, which raised the alarm over the sustained clampdown on its members as the governorship election in the state approaches, noted that the activities of the security agencies in the state were capable of frustrating a free and fair election.

The deputy director, public communication of the council, Austin Okai, in a statement expressed worries over the alleged clampdown on PDP members in Idah and Ajaka by the police.

But the state police command has told politicians in the state to leave the commissioner and the command out of their politics, saying they should face their campaigns and not drag the police into it.

The PDP, however, said the partial stance of the state police command had revealed that there was the need for an overhaul in the command to ensure a free electoral process in Kogi by November.

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The party alleged that its members in Idah and Igalamela were been harassed and arrested at gunpoint, for showing resistance to the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello.

The statement read, “The aim of the police and the state government is to keep PDP members under arrest towards the November election. We want to caution the commissioner and let him know the implication of taking sides in the election.

“Since the Police hierarchy in Kogi operates under the instructions of Governor Yahaya Bello, we are appealing to the Police IG to remove the CP and the Director of DSS in Kogi, before November election in the interest of fair play.

“All the ward executives of PDP in Idah and Ajaka have been detained by the Police with APC thugs destroying billboards and posters of PDP candidate in Kogi east.

“Governor Yahaya Bello, APC and the Police Commissioner are using the security agencies to harass PDP loyalists threaten Journalists and other support groups of PDP in Kogi east, after the failed flag off of their campaign in Idah.”

However, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), William Aya, while reacting to the allegations by the PDP said the police commissioner remained a thorough bred professional that do not dabble into political issues.

He said the command had always been providing security for all political parties contesting and campaigning, adding that the allegation of taking side with the APC was baseless.

The police image maker also said the command had not arrested any member of the PDP, noting that the alarm by the party was a ruse.