By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri

Ahead of the November 11 2023, governorship election in Imo state, the
Human Rights Writer’s Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, on Monday, rejected the alleged plot to redeploy the former Commissioner of Police, Adamawa state, Mohammed Barde, to Imo state.

HURIWA’s National Coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko, disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri.

HURIWA’s reason was because of the alleged role played by Barde, at the last Adamawa governorship election, which led to the suspension of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Yunusa-Ari’s, following the alleged unlawful declaration of Aishatu Dahiru as winner of the Adamawa gubernatorial election and was later invalidated.

According to HURIWA, “This incident raised serious questions about the integrity of the electoral process and the role of law enforcement agencies in safeguarding our democracy.

“As you may recall, in response to this disheartening incident, the then Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, took swift action by ordering Commissioner Barde’s immediate withdrawal from Adamawa State, following the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate as the winner of the election, even though the collation of supplementary election results was still ongoing.

“This decision demonstrated the commitment of the Nigerian Police Force to upholding the principles of a free and fair electoral process. However, the subsequent reinstatement of Commissioner Barde and the alleged plans to deploy him to Imo State for the November gubernatorial election has left us deeply concerned about the consistency and credibility of the Police Force’s actions.

“We wish to emphasize here that Commissioner Barde’s involvement in the Adamawa election, raises serious doubts about his suitability for any future election duty.

“Of particular concern is the possibility of Commissioner Barde being deployed to Imo State, given its electoral challenges, including the controversial Supreme Court judgment that removed Emeka Ihedioha from office and brought in the incumbent Governor Hope Uzodimma. The delicate nature of the political climate in Imo State makes it even more imperative that individuals with unquestionable integrity and commitment to the democratic process are appointed to oversee the upcoming governorship election.

“The IGP, Kayode Egbetokun-led Nigerian Police Force to prioritize the principles of fairness, transparency, and the rule of law in all aspects of the electoral process. We call on Governor Hope Uzodimma and all political actors to respect the sanctity of our democracy and refrain from manipulating the electoral process for personal gain.”