The Nation, in a report last Saturday, has revealed that Jonathan was under pressure to give Abba the boot – for alleged security and protocol breaches.
Credible sources in the presidency have disclosed that First Lady Patience Jonathan played a pivotal role in the events leading to the sack of IGP Abba.
Abba, The Nation learnt, had earlier been summoned by the President to defend himself against allegations by some PDP leaders and security chiefs regarding his role in the March 28 and April 11 elections.
Abba got the push because he rebuffed a presidential directive to make some “strategic moves” that would have favoured the ruling party in the two elections, the sources said.
One of them specifically mentioned Abba’s reluctance to redeploy the Assistant Inspector General in charge of Zone 6 Tunde Ogunsakin, from Rivers State to Cross River on the eve of the gubernatorial and Houses of Assembly elections.
The aim, it was gathered, was to enable the ruling party perfect what was described as its ectoral heist in some states in the Southsouth.
A source said when it became apparent that Abba was “using delay tactics” in carrying out the order, the First Lady, who was with some of her aides in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, instead of Bayelsa State where the President had gone to vote, called Dr. Jonathan demanded an immediate implementation of the directive, it was said.
Miffed by what she considered to be an affront, said the source, the First Lady said Abba would regret his tardiness.
Said the source: “I can categorically tell you that Abba would have saved his job but for what happened on the eve of the governorship election when we were in Port Harcourt.Could you believe that despite an initial signal from the authorities that Ogunsakin should be moved to Calabar, Abba was playing games with the directives? He was apparently not in the mood to comply. The President had to call him directly before the order was carried out, following a complaint made to him by the First Lady.
“I am also aware that the authorities are not happy with his conduct during the presidential election, especially his seeming closeness to the president-elect and his presence at presentation of Certificate of Return to Gen. Buhari in Abuja.
“He would have been allowed to stay on till the inauguration of the new government but for ignoring the wishes of the wife of the President.”
