IG orders police withdrawal from political office in Ekiti

Ahead of Saturday’s election, the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of all  police orderlies attached to all political office holders in Ekiti State and vowed to arrest any politician found violating any electoral law.

Speaking at a stake holders’ meeting in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, which was attended by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof Atahiru Jega officials of the Department of State Service (DSS), military personnel and some of the gubernatorial candidates,  he said no politician would be given  the privileged of having police orderly during the election.

‘No official of government, commissioner or any politician will be given police orderly, DSS or soldier during the day of election,” adding that  there will be total restriction of movement of people and vehicles during on Election Day, saying the restriction would  be between 6am to 8pm.

The police boss advised voters  who had registered in places far from  their residence to go and sleep overnight where they would vote.

The IGP further assured that the presence of the police would be felt in all the towns, villages and farmsteads in the state and the police would be civil in the discharge of their constitutional responsibility

“We know we have some places that are very volatile, the police will go to the nook and crannies of the state,” he assured and admonished politicians to be orderly and conduct themselves in a decent manner.

On allegation that some politicians who were found thumb printing ballot papers were arrested in a hotel, the police boss admitted that though some people were arrested by officials of DSS,  they were arrested for a different offence, adding  that investigation was still on.

Also speaking at the occasion, the INEC chairman assured that the body would conduct a credible and reliable election that would stand the test of time and dismissed allegation that his organization is colluding with some politicians to rig Saturday’s election

He equally said INEC may not be able to provide certified copies of registers as demanded by some politicians, saying that INEC could only give them copies of PDF electronic version of the register

Jega regretted that there was no perfect technology but  assured that INEC would  check multiple registration

In his own contribution, the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Mr Ayo Fayose said he had a wrong belief  that the police authority were working for a particular candidate but for the way the police boss had spoken.

Also speaking, the state chairman of the APC,Chief Jide Awe, expressed concern overt the spate of arrests of his party men over what he described as phantom charges.

 

IG orders police withdrawal from political office in Ekiti