Adamawa CP warns REC against inflammatory comments

Adamawa State Commissioner of Police (CP), Afolabi Adeniyi, has warned the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa, from making statements that can cause chaos.

A statement, yesterday, in Yola, signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Suleiman Nguroje, advised the REC to concentrate on what is expected of him in accordance with extant laws.

The CP assured the people of Adamawa that he would continue to discharge his duties professionally as the Constitution stipulated.

The statement reads: “The CP, while responding to the allegation by the REC during an interaction with journalists at his Bauchi State residence, on Tuesday, denied telling him of not guaranteeing his safety. Instead, the command’s deployment was massive and highly commendable, as political thugs across the state were warned and denied access to the collation centre.

“The CP re-emphasised that the presence of police and other security agents are firm determination of the command in creating an enabling and secure environment for the electoral process, and at no time did the CP urge the REC to announce the results as against the statement of the REC.”

It added that the CP deployed the command’s operational asset around Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) facilities for surveillance operations to checkmate criminal activities around it, as a further manifestation of the Inspector-General of police (IGP)’s determination to ensure conducive atmosphere for the political process in the state.

Nguroje said the massive deployment was to assist in monitoring INEC materials, prevent any attempt to invade INEC premises, coordinate timely response to distress calls and to clamp down on any threat on the electoral process.

After the Adamawa governorship election was declared inconclusive, the REC relocated to his hometown in Bauchi, apparently for safety.