Jonathan fires IG Abba over polls

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday sacked the Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba.

Abba, who became IG less than nine months ago, was replaced by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police,   Solomon Arase, in acting capacity

A statement by Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity,   Reuben Abati, gave no   reason for the sack of Abba.

The statement read, “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has relieved the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, of his appointment and duties with immediate effect.

“President Jonathan has also appointed a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, as Acting Inspector-General of Police, also with immediate effect.

“Until his appointment as Abba’s replacement,   Arase was the Head of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department.

“Mr. Arase holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Law as well as Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Political Science and Strategic Studies. He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence College.”

The PUNCH however learnt that the controversial governorship election in Rivers State was the main reason that cost Abba his job.

It was also learnt that   the Presidency and the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party were unhappy with the sacked IG for the way he handled the March 28 presidential election.

The PDP and its presidential candidate,   Goodluck Jonathan, lost the election to the   All Progressives Congress and its candidate,   Muhammadu Buhari.

The PDP     also performed badly in the governorship election,   a development it believes was traceable to   Abba’s action.

A reliable government source in Abuja, said that the Presidency did not only feel that Abba   failed   to mobilise enough men for the PDP during the polls, it believed that he was “tactically working for the opposition (the APC).”

For example, the source said that Abba deployed over 2,800 riot policemen in Rivers State on April 4, a few days to the conduct of the governorship election. The team was led by an Assistant Inspector-General of Police,   Tunde Ogunsakin.

This action, according to him, was taken by the sacked IG to negatively affected the hitherto arrangement   by the Presidency and the PDP for the conduct of the governorship election in the state.

Source:Punch