The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba has given an order that the Commissioner of Police on election duty in Adamawa State, Mohammed Barde on the inglorious Sunday when declaration was made prematurely by the wrong INEC official be redeployed from the state with out further delay.
In his place the IGP has ordered the Commissioner of Police in charge of Gombe State, CP Etim Equa to immediately proceed to Adamawa State to continue with election security of the ongoing supplementary governorship poll collation
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the IGP is committed to a free and fair process.
“The IGP has given directive that the commissioner of police on election security in Adamawa State, CP Barde should pull out of Adamawa State and the Commissioner of Police in charge of Gombe State, CP Etim Equa to proceed to Adamawa immediately, to go and supervise election and provide necessary information and ensure that the process is a success.”
Adejobi also indicated that the IGP was yet to receive any letter from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking the probe and prosecution of its embattled Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa, Hudu Yunusa Ari.
Collation of results which was truncated on Sunday has resumed in the state capital.
The collation for the Saturday supplementary governorship election in Adamawa was suspended after Ari announced Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner over the incumbent, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
INEC had immediately summoned Ari to Abuja and declared his announcement invalid describing his action as an usurpation of the powers of the collation and returning officer.
The electoral umpire also said it will write the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba to probe and prosecute Ari but the police are yet to get the letter.
Before the collation exercise was suspended on Saturday night, results from 10 LGAs had been announced — and Binani was trailing Fintiri.
The collation of results from the remaining 10 LGAs was expected to commence by 11am on Sunday, and Mele Lamido, the returning officer for the Adamawa governorship election, was not present when Ari announced Binani as the winner of the election.
According to the electoral act, Lamido is the rightful official empowered to declare the winner of the election.