The authorities of the Nigeria Police have removed Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Mr. Chris Ezike, over the outcome of the ward congress of the All Progressive Congress (APC) held at the weekend.
In the contest, Governor Rochas Okorocha lost to his opponents, which the governor attributed to the roles the commissioner played in the election.
Tension mounted in the state on Tuesday as the news of Ezike’s removal filtered into Owerri, the state capital.
Okorocha, who visited President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina, immediately after the ward congress, had vowed to deal with those behind his loss.
He described them as political detractors, who bit the hands that fed them.
So yesterday, Ezike became the first of the governor’s perceived enemies to fall.
The Police High Command named Mr. Dasuki Galadinchi, one of the newly-promoted commissioners of police as Ezike’s successor.
The signal on his removal came yesterday when Ezike was at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport to receive the wife of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Princess Asmau Ibrahim Idris, for the take-off of a sensitisation rally against child trafficking; cultism; and drug abuse, organised by the state chapter of the Police Officers’ Wives Association.
Ezike had on Monday scheduled a press briefing with newsmen but after two hours of waiting, it was cancelled though it had the presence of the media crew attached to Governor Okorocha in attendance.
Sources said that Governor Okorocha had demanded that Ezike address the press and state that no congress was held but the police chief was advised against it because he is not a member of the party.
It was learnt that the governor has also demanded for the replacement of the State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) in connection with the congress, though no name has been given as a replacement.
Ezike, who hosted Asmau Idris, carried on as though nothing had happened, smiling and coordinating events.
Ezike was appointed as Imo CP April last year, and since assumption of office, worked tirelessly to stamp out cultism and kidnapping in the state.
