IGP explains appointment of CP for Osun governorship election

The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, on Friday said the Nigeria Police Force appointed Samuel Erale as the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of security during the forthcoming 15 August governorship election to restore confidence in the command’s neutrality.

Mr Disu said the subtantive CP, Ibrahim Gotan, was asked to step aside after political parties raised concerns about the neutrality of the Osun State Police Command, stressing that the decision was not a disciplinary action against him.

The Whistler reported that the IGP disclosed this on Friday in Abuja during a meeting with civil society organisations on election security in Osun State, led by the Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo.

He said the police took the decision as a confidence-building measure to reassure political parties and other stakeholders that the force would remain neutral before, during and after the election.

The IGP said the decision followed rising political tension and violence in the state, with police intelligence linking some of the unrest to rival cult groups allegedly associated with political actors.

“Certain groups of politicians or parties have been complaining that they no longer trust the Commissioner of Police. So the Commissioner of Police was asked to stand aside, while the Electoral Commissioner of Police took over,” Mr Disu said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Erale, the Electoral Commissioner of Police, had consequently assumed responsibility for election security in the state, while the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of elections is expected to join the operation.

The development also follows weeks of political controversy over the conduct of the police command, including allegations of partisanship by political parties and civil society groups.

The Accord Party had demanded the removal of Mr Gotan, while civil society organisations also protested in Osogbo over what they described as concerns about the neutrality of the police ahead of the election.

The controversy intensified after the arrest of the Secretary to the Osun State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, and others during a police operation at his residence over alleged electoral offences.

The state government and supporters of Governor Ademola Adeleke criticised the operation, describing it as politically motivated, while the police maintained that it was part of an investigation. Mr Igbalaye was subsequently released.

However, barely 24 hours after Mr  Igbalaye’s release, the Command announced the deployment of Mr Erale to oversee the state election and security of the state.

Against this backdrop, Mr Disu said the decision to replace the commissioner was intended to prevent the controversy surrounding the command from undermining confidence in the electoral process.

Concerns of partisanship of federal agencies regarding deepened on Wednesday when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) blocked an Osun State Government account domiciled at First Bank.

In response to public outrage about the development, President Bola Tinubu, whose party, the All Progressives Congress, is fielding a candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, against Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party in the forthcoming governorship election, intervened on Thursday, ordering the EFCC to lift the freeze order on the state’s account.

Pressure on the former commissioner, Mr Gotan had intensified in recent months as political actors and civil society organisations questioned the neutrality of the state police command ahead of the governorship election.

PREMIUM TIMES reported in June that a coalition of civil society organisations staged a protest in Osogbo, demanding Mr Gotan’s redeployment over alleged bias in the handling of election-related violence and politically sensitive security matters.

The ruling Accord Party on Thursday also petitioned President Bola Tinubu and Inspector-General of Police, accusing the commissioner of partiality in responding to attacks on its members. The party alleged that Mr Gotan targeted officials of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration.