Omokri Counters Ex-Police IG, Says His Poor Memory Exposed His Own Lies

The allegation by former Inspector General of Police (IG), Suleiman Abba, that he was sacked by former President Goodluck Jonathan because he refused to rig elections in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the gubernatorial poll in Osun State, has been described as poor and shameful.

Abba, who spoke to Daily Trust at the weekend, had said: “One of the leading stalwarts in the PDP then said to me: ‘IG (you know I was acting then) deliver Osun State to us and we will confirm you quickly.’ I was shocked! That was when I knew that I may not last long in the office.”

In his response to Abba’s allegation, former media aide to President Jonathan, Reno Omokri, in a statement made available to the media on Sunday, said it is unfortunate that the former IG then blamed his failure to influence that election for his sack by then President Jonathan.

According to Omokri, “Abba is a proof of the fact that liars need a very good memory otherwise they would contradict themselves with their lies.

“Let us examine some facts. The Osun State gubernatorial election held on August 9, 2014. The results of that election were declared the next day on August 10, 2014, still Abba claims to have been sacked because he failed to rig that election for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“However, Abba was appointed acting Inspector General of Police on August 1, 2014, and sacked from office on April 20, 2015.

“If it was true that Abba was sacked for refusing to rig the Osun State election, which held on August 9, 2014, why would former President Jonathan wait for seven and a half months before sacking him?

“If it was true that Abba was sacked for refusing to rig the Osun State election, which held on August 9, 2014, why would former President Jonathan keep him in office to preside over the Nigerian Police Force during the more important 2015 presidential election which was even more crucial to the then president and the PDP?”

He added in the statement that “when juxtaposed with these facts, the accusation of the former IG of Police makes no sense to reasonable human beings.

“Former President Jonathan is known as a man who is not desperate for power. He has a reputation for providing the enabling environment for free and fair elections.”

Omokri further noted that as a matter of fact, “when the current chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, was re-elected after the June 2012 gubernatorial election in Edo State, Oshiomhole said on July 15, 2012 as follows: ‘President Jonathan has demonstrated statesmanship. I think there is hope for Nigeria. What the Edo State election has confirmed is that when the President and Commander-in-Chief puts the country first and conducts himself as a statesman, not just as a party leader, credible elections are possible’.”

In the statement, the former presidential media aide said: “This testimony from an opposition governor, who was opposed to the re-election of then President Jonathan and who is now the chairman of the APC, completely rubbishes Abba’s statements

“For the avoidance of doubt, Abba was sacked for dereliction of duty, because under his watch, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Kano State, Alhaji Mukaila Abdullahi, was burnt to death with his wife and two children on April 3, 2015, under suspicious circumstances after he had reported incidents of severe electoral fraud in his domain.”

Omokri alleged that when confronted with this suspicious death, the then acting IG of police gave contradictory and unsatisfactory answers. “As a leader who valued the sanctity of human life, former President Jonathan ordered the sack of Abba and appointed Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police, Solomon Arase, to act in his stead and get to the bottom of the suspicious death.

“I therefore urge Abba to find other ways to ingratiate himself to the current powers that be and leave Jonathan out of his lying schemes and plans.”