The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has disclosed that 22,239 personnel will be deployed to provide security during the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State.
Egbetokun said the officers would work along with other sister security agencies drafted to ensure adequate security and protection in the 18 local government areas of the state.
The IGP, who was represented by the Assistant-Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 17, Abiodun Asabi, stated this at a stakeholders meeting on the Ondo State governorship election held in Akure on Thursday.
According to Egbetokun, the election is a crucial democratic process which affords the eletorate the opportunity to exercise their right to choose their leaders by majority votes.
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He explained that the success of the upcoming gubernatorial election in the state depends on the peace, order and existing security.
“This can be efficiently achieved by concerted covert and overt operations by the synergised security agencies assigned for the election. In order to deliver adequate election security, the Nigeria Police, apart from additional manpower from sister agencies, is going to deploy a total of 22,239 officers for the exercise,” he said.
The IGP added that it was important for the stakeholders in the election process to discharge their duties with security-conscious approaches.
According to him, performing the roles in a fair and orderly manner would reduce the security threats to the barest minimum, with a far-reaching effect on the credibility of the exercise.
The police boss observed that some major political parties participating in the election continued to heat up the polity, thereby posing security threats ahead of the exercise.
“The Nigeria Police and other supporting security agencies responsible to provide security in the forthcoming election have a responsibility to solidly synergise and work as a formidable team to identify and nip in the bud all security threats, provide tight security at the polling stations as well as all the public spaces within the state,” he said.
While urging party agents and other stakeholders to conduct themselves peacefully for a successful election, Egbetokun warned that violators of electoral law risked being jailed.
“All stakeholders should eschew violence, avoid the do-or-die approach, should not employ thuggery and play the game according to the rules with sportsmanship spirit that will enable the loser to lose gallantly and the winner to be magnimous in victory,” the IGP added.
He, however, assured that the police would leave no stone unturned at ensuring a hitch-free and condusive atmosphere prior, during, and the post election.
“We shall ensure that the success recorded in the Edo election will be improved upon,” the IGP said.
The state Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Oladipo, reiterated the commitment of the police to a free, fair, and credible election.
Oladipo, who expressed the readiness of the police to work with other sister security agencies deployed for the election, warned supporters of the political parties against fomenting trouble before, during, and after the exercise.
“The security of the state is the responsibility of everyone. We want to use this opportunity to state it clear that the state belongs to everyone. So, violence should not have a place in the state.
“We should do away with issues that are likely to create disaffection or violence. The party should conduct themselves very well. I want to state that the foot soldiers need to be warned to stay off crime that are not related to politics,” he said.
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