Why Jonathan Sacked Abba Months After APC Asked For It!!!

ABUJA — THE Inspector-General of Police,
Mr Suleiman Abba, yesterday, became the
first major casualty of the just concluded
general elections, which President Goodluck
Jonathan and his party, the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, lost to the
opposition.
The police officer, who was elevated to the
post only last year, incurred the wrath of
the Presidency on the eve of the
governorship and House of Assembly
elections for allegedly arguing with the
government officials over the directive to
recall the Assistant Inspector-General of
Police in Charge of Zone 6, Tunde
Ogunshakin, from Rivers State.
Abba, it was learnt, had deployed
Ogunshakin from his base in Calabar to Port
Harcourt to oversee the governorship
election in Rivers State following complaints
by Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers
State, that the police had collaborated with
the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, and the PDP to
intimidate APC members and rig the
presidential and National Assembly elections
in the state.
His refusal to pick calls over
Ogunshakin’s recall
Another source said the former police boss
reportedly ignored presidency official’s
objection to the deployment of Ogunshakin
to Rivers State on the allegation that the
police officer was sympathetic to Amaechi
and his party and would, therefore, not
allow the PDP win the state.
A Presidency source told Vanguard that on
learning that the IG had defied its order by
redeploying Ogunshakin to Rivers State to
supervise the governorship elections. A
presidency official called the former police
boss to recall the AIG with immediate effect
from Rivers State or face the consequences.
The source said the presidency felt slighted
when it could not get through to Abba.
The former police boss reportedly told the
Presidency that AIG Ogunshakin was a
formidable Police officer whom he
described as a ‘no-nonsense officer’ feared
and respected in the Police Force hierarchy
and capable of ensuring law and order in
the place of new assignment.
Vanguard learnt that although the sacked IG
reluctantly recalled Ogunshakin from Rivers
State, forcing him to quit Port Harcourt by 5
am on the election day, Presidency did not
forgive Abba for redeploying Ogunshakin
reluctantly.
Presence at Buhari’s certificate of
return presentation
Another sin of the former IG was his
presence at the presentation of the
Certificate of Return to Muhammadu Buhari
at the International Conference Centre on
April 1, 2015, which convinced the
Presidency that the IG was actually working
for the opposition and it moved quickly
against him.
Arase replaces Abba
The Senior Special Adviser to the President
on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, could
not also be reached for comments on the
development.
Abba’s sack was announced by the
president’s spokesman, Reuben Abati, in a
statement yesterday. No reason was given
for the sack while a Deputy Inspector-
General of Police, Solomon Arase, was
appointed to act in his stead.
Abati’s statement read in full: “President
Goodluck Jonathan has relieved the
Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman
Abba, of his appointment and duties with
immediate effect.
“President Jonathan has also appointed
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr.
Solomon Arase, as Acting Inspector-
General of Police, also with immediate
effect.
“Until his appointment as Mr. Abba’s
replacement, Mr. Arase was the Head of the
Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation
Department.
“Mr. Arase holds Bachelors and Masters
degrees in Law, as well as Bachelors and
Masters degrees in Political Science and
Strategic Studies.
“He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence
College.”
Mr. Abba, 56, became acting Inspector
General on August 1, 2014 following the
retirement of his predecessor, Mohammed
Abubakar, after 35 years of public service.
He was confirmed substantive IGP on
November 4, 2014.
Abba was, until that appointment, an
Assistant Inspector General, AIG, in charge
of Zone 7 Command, a position he
occupied since May 25, 2012. He was also
an Aide-De-Camp, ADC, to the wife of a
former military Head of State, Maryam
Abacha.
With his removal, Mr. Abba will proceed on
forced retirement, four years before he
attains retirement age.
He enlisted in the Nigeria Police as Cadet
Inspector on December 31, 1984 and is
actually due for retirement on March 22,
2019.