#OsunElection: A signal to Better Election Policing in 2023 — PSC

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The Police Service Commission believes that the police’s excellent performance during the Osun State governorship election serves as a warning that future elections in the nation may be well covered by the police and other security agencies.

Ikechukwu Ani, head of press and public relations, stated in a statement that the Commission saw policemen performing election-related responsibilities across the state’s 30 Local Government Areas and found their performance to be above average.

“The Policemen arrived at the Polling centres on time and were professional in their conduct

“They exhibited a high level of commitment to their duties and were able to restore orderliness in most of the Polling Units.

“There were an average of three policemen in most of the Units who were properly dressed with their name tags and were also firm and courteous to voters.

“Despite initial squabbles in a few polling Units, the Police with the assistance of officers of the Civil Defence, Federal Road Safety and in some places, the men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Department of State Security were able to quickly restore peace and order.

Police Service Commission

According to legal standards,

Polling units were devoid of arms carrying security Agencies in line with the requirements of the law, but both armed Military men and special forces of the Police mounted roadblocks and paraded the streets.

Ani revealed that the polling units visited by the Commission Monitors across the state had not experienced any significant acts of violence.

He claimed that the policing of the Osun governorship election marked a significant improvement over the last, widely regarded as free and fair, governorship election in Ekiti state.

The commission’s chairman, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, a former inspector general of police, claimed that Osun State’s election enforcement improvements were a promising indicator for the general elections in 2023.

While promising the support of the Commission to ensure enhanced performance in the next elections, he urged the Nigeria Police to maintain the momentum and preparations for those elections.

He finished by saying that the Commission would keep rewarding Officers who performed admirably in the fulfilment of their duties immediately in order to set an example for others to follow.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has commended the security personnel, in particular officers of the Nigeria Police Force, the Military, and other security agencies, as well as the electorates in Osun State, for the orderly conduct of the elections held on Saturday, July 16, 2022, in the state’s 3 senatorial districts, 30 local government areas (LGAs), and 3753 polling places.

“The IGP applauds the massive deployment of Police Operatives, Specialized Units, and other human and operational assets including 3 Helicopters and a couple of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for aerial surveillance in the 3 Senatorial Districts.

[quotation]Others were 4 adequately manned gunboats for the riverine areas and Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) which enabled swift responses to the pockets of electoral issues.

Police Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi

He also applauds the coordinated efforts of various security services that contributed to the election’s peaceful conduct.

The IGP appreciates the electorates in Osun State as well as critical stakeholders for their role in collectively maintaining decorum and cooperating with law enforcement agencies, noting that the professionalism displayed by officers deployed for the election equally helped to garner trust, and ultimately led to the success of the process.

He also guarantees that the Force is constantly enhancing its election security mandate in order to hold the best general elections possible in 2023.

The Inspector-General of Police has urged Nigerians to follow the code of conduct for peaceful conduct in future elections, especially in the next General Elections.

He assures all citizens of improved election security management during any electioneering processes even as he calls on well-meaning Nigerians, particularly electorates and political actors, to accord necessary support to the Police and other security agencies in the forthcoming 2023 General Elections and general security and safety of our dear nation.

The voting stations were free of armed security personnel in accordance with the legislation, but both armed military personnel and police special forces set up roadblocks and paraded around the streets.

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