APC kicks as PSC appoints Naja’atu Muhammad to oversee police conduct at polls

The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council has rejected the appointment of Naja’atu Muhammad as one of the supervisors of the police during the elections.

On Sunday, the Police Service Commission (PSC) said Muhammad is one of 44 people who had been given the assignment in the north-west.

In January, Muhammad, a former senatorial candidate, said she has resigned from the APC and quit partisan politics — but the party claimed she was sacked and accused her of being a mole.

She endorsed Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

When Solomon Arase, former inspector of police, was appointed chairman of PSC, there were allegations that he is a PDP sympathiser.

In a statement on Monday, Festus Keyamo, spokesperson of the APC campaign council, said the role given to Muhammad requires her to be unbiased but she is not because of her comments against Bola Tinubu, the party’s standard bearer.

“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,” Keyamo 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 emphasize 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.”

Keyamo said the appointment should be withdrawn from Muhammad.

“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,” he said.