Rights Group Condemn Alleged Removal of Kano CP

A rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law(Intersociety), on Wednesday condemned the alleged removal and replacement of the commissioner of police in Kano State.

The Kano State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Wakili, had last Tuesday been removed and replaced with Balarabe Sule. Wakili was moved to Zamfara State.

In a press release signed by the Chairman Board of Trustees of the group, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, and made available to journalists in Awka, Intersociety described the transfer as sudden and lacking in honesty.

Part of the release accused the presidency of masterminding the removal of Wakili, “for being honest and refusing to be corrupted, resisting rigging and insisting on free, fair, popular and credible poll in Kano State.

“The action of the presidency is a further confirmation of undue interference and intensification of its rigging roles in the 2019 General Polls. It is so bad that the Presidency has no shame and openly taken responsibility in the rigging of the 2019 Polls; yet the same Presidency wants to leave a legacy of free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.”

The group said it fears that with the scheduling of the governorship rerun in Kano, Sokoto, and other states for 23rd March, and the brazen support of the federal government, the wishes of the people may not count.

It further added that with allegation of attempt by Governor Ganduje to bribe the commissioner of police in the state to compromise the election, for a government that mouths its fight against corruption, the governor should have been penciled down for prosecution.

“A responsible president or presidency would have bluntly told off the likes of the embattled Gov Ganduje and asked him to go back to Kano State and face his electoral destiny squarely.

 “Till date, INEC is unable to explain to Nigerians and others why elections were declared “suspended” or “inconclusive” in the opposition strongholds while in the APC controlled areas, same polls were freely and conclusively declared.

“What has been irrevocably and irrefutably established from the just held 2019 General Polls is that the central ruling Party was so unpopular and failed in governance that it was majorly rejected at polls across the country; forcing it to resort to whipping up religious sentiments and armada of rigging including brutal militarization and military aided ballot box and result sheet snatching and doctoring.”