Former police boss Suleiman Abba rains curses on APC leaders for removing him from senatorial shortlist

FORMER inspector-general of police Suleiman Abba has rained curses on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for removing him the list of candidates due to stand in the Jigawa Central Senatorial District elections at the last minute for no apparent reason.

Mr Abba, 59, was appointed as acting police boss on August 1, 2014 by President Goodluck Jonathan and later confirmed as substantive inspector general of police on November 4, 2014. However, it was the same President Jonathan who sacked him on April 21, 2015 because of noticeable indiscipline in the Nigerian Police Force in the build up to the 2015 general election.

Last month, Mr Abba announced that he would be running for senate and picked up the APC's nomination form to stand as a candidate in the Jigawa Central Senatorial District. However, just before elections were held over the weekend, Mr Abba's names was removed from the list of approved candidates by the APC's screening committee.

Incensed by the action, Mr Abba stormed the APC's national headquarters in Abuja yesterday to register his displeasure at being barred from standing and apparently rained curses in members of staff there. He claimed that some members of the party high command were acting like they were God.

Mr Abba said: “You are all aware that a list was released where I was duly cleared and another list was released delisting my name. This is not time for too much talk, this is time for prayers and I want you to join me in this prayer.

“The prayer is this: Almighty God, any person copying you and your power should not be in the headquarters of this APC. Almighty God, if there is already one, you know what to do so that you don’t allow him continue copying you. Almighty God, any person claiming to be an officer of the APC, if he will not work with the vision and mission of the APC, Almighty God, don’t allow him to use the demon style of destroying.”

It is believed that Mr Abba's name was erroneously included on the original list of cleared aspirants by the APC's national working committee but was later removed after it was spotted. It could be that certain senior party members had issues with him when he was the inspector-general of police.