Mr. Olayinka Balogun, who was last night removed as the Edo State Commissioner of Police, suffered the fate for not correctly reading the body language of his bosses.

Balogun was unceremoniously removed 48 hours to the Edo State governorship election by removed by the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, who was in Benin, the Edo State capital for a one-day visit. He was not charged with any offences and his fate remains uncertain, while his position has been taken over by Mr. Femi Adenaike.

“Balogun was removed because he was deemed to be supporting Governor Adams Oshiomhole contrary to the expectation of the Police Headquarters that he would support the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), General Charles Airhiavbere (retd),” a source close to the Acting IGP told Transport & Business Express.

The source said that The Presidency is desperate to recapture Edo from the ACN in Saturday’s governorship election.

Both President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo have been to Edo State to campaign for Gen. Airhiavbere, who is less popular than Mr. Oshiomhole, a former labour leader fondly addressed as Comrade Governor by his admirers.

Oshiomhole was rigged out by PDP in the 2007 ballot but reclaimed his mandate through the courts. Edo State has become heavily militarised ahead of Saturday’s ballot, raising fears of a repeat of the 2007 scenario. The tough-talking Oshiomhole has however promised that those who attempt to rig him out this time around will be “rigged out of life.”

Photo Caption
Governor Oshiomhole