The Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for the removal of Naja’atu Muhammad as the Police Service Commission election coordinator for North-west.
A spokesperson for the council, Festus Keyamo, made the call in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
He said Ms Muhammad’s appointment further validates the concerns of the APC that some elements are working to sabotage the campaign of the party.
PSC recently announced the appointment of national, zonal and state coordinators for the 36 states and Abuja to monitor the conduct of police officers posted for election duties.
The commission listed Ms Muhammad as the zonal coordinator for North-west covering Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina State.
Ms Muhammad, a former director in the Tinubu presidential campaign, recently defected to the PDP and has been very vocal in speaking against the APC.
She has equally made several allegations against the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu.
The PCC claimed that Ms Muhammadu was sacked by the campaign over lack of competency, noting that he was a mole.
Najaa’tu most partisan PSC member — Keyamo
Mr Keyamo argued that the Commission cannot appoint a partisan member to coordinate the activities of police officers on election duty.
He described the appointment of Ms Muhammad as appalling, noting that as zonal coordinator, she will be able to move around across states.
He said her appointment is “openly confrontational and consequently unacceptable.”
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“We are deeply shocked and appalled to read a release by the Police Service Commission appointing one of its most partisan members, Naja’atu Bala Muhammad as a North-west coordinator of the Presidential Election. In that role, she is expected to move about freely supervising the conduct of Police Officers during the elections.
“With the well-documented activities, actions and vitriols of Naja’atu in the last few weeks against our candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (after being shown the door out of the APC as a mole) we venture to say that this appointment is not only callous, it is insensitive, openly confrontational and consequently unacceptable by the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council,” the statement said.
“Coming at a time when President Muhammadu Buhari is constantly assuring and reassuring the world of free, fair and credible elections, it confirms our worst fears that there are functionaries of government that are actively working with the opposition to thwart the avowed commitment of Mr President.
“We need not emphasise that the role given to Naja’atu requires an honest and unbiased individual who will discharge the duties diligently and without reproach. The nation will not get that from Naja’atu,” he said.
The campaign council demanded the immediate withdrawal of Ms Muhammad’s appointment.
“We, therefore, demand the immediate withdrawal of the name of Naja’atu Bala Muhammad as a coordinator of the Police Service Commission for the North-west or any region for that matter. She has an inalienable right to continue to campaign for any candidate of her choice and to vote for that candidate, but she cannot be given a garment to wear at this time that is meant only for neutrals,” Mr Keyamo said.
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