Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, on
Thursday warned voters to go back to their
homes after casting their votes on election days.
Abba, who addressed accredited observers for
the general elections in Abuja, said the
possibility of committing electoral offence was
very high if voters stayed back at the polling
booths for votes to be counted.
He said that each polling unit would have at least
two or three policemen to protect the votes cast
by the electorate.
The IG said, ‘‘Two to three police officers will be
attached to each polling unit, and we would
provide more officers for the collation centres
and for the managers of the elections.
“We will go on to protect the electorate. Every
eligible voter should feel safe enough to cast his
votes. We will be there to protect the votes and
make sure no one disrupts the process.
“Cast your votes and go and cool down. If you
remain there, there is a likelihood that you will
commit an offence.’’
The police chief advised political parties and
their candidates to abide by “one agent to a
polling unit,” which the electoral act stipulates.
“Asking voters to wait and protect their votes
implies taking the law into their own hands. It is
unacceptable,” he said.
Abba said the police were aware of threats by
some politicians to declare parallel election
results and warned that his men would deal with
such act within the ambit of the law.
He added, “We have heard some people are
threatening to declare election results; we hope it
is not true. If you don’t accept the declared result
by INEC (Independent National Electoral
Commission), the best way is to proceed to the
tribunal.
In advanced democracies, people don’t take the
law into their own hands but resort to tribunals.
“The refusal to accept the result and resort to
extrajudicial activities is a threat to the electoral
process. But where they don’t heed the appeal,
the police will act within the law to protect the
electoral process.”
The IG said that the police would be loyal to the
country, the constitution and all democratic
activities before, during and after the elections in
which 56,000 Nigerian Security and Civil Defence
Corps officials and 129,000 non-regular personnel
would be part of the security arrangements.
While disclosing that the police have “arrested
thousands of thugs” and “recovered hundreds of
firearms” he condemned the recruitment of
miscreants by politicians to achieve their goals.
Abba noted that lateness in commencement of
voting, delay in the provision of electoral
materials, rigging and manipulation of results
were serious threats to electoral process.
He advised INEC to fasten the process of
accreditation of voters on election days.
The IG also said in a statement on Thursday that
he had ordered tight security around all key and
vulnerable points, including the headquarters and
offices of INEC and media houses.
Also to witness improved security are Internally
Displaced Persons camps, service provider
installations, banks, hospitals, National Youth
Service Corps lodges, hotels and government
offices.
The measure, according to him, is to ward off
possible attempt by hoodlums to attack such
places .
Abba urged the public to remain steadfast in
collaborating with policemen to stamp out crimes,
“as the police have perfected strategies to
prepare a safe and secure ground to guarantee
hitch-free March 28 and April 11, 2015 elections.”
Efforts to speak with the APC spokesman, Lai
Mohammed, did not yield result as calls to his
telephone rang out.
He also did not respond to a text message sent to
him.
Meanwhile, Abba has called for improved synergy
between the police and para-military agencies
under the Ministry of Interior for enhanced
security during and after the polls.
The IG made the call when he visited the Minister
of Interior, Abba Moro, to strategise on better
ways of guaranteeing security during the
elections.
He commended the efforts of security agencies in
assisting the police in protecting lives and
property, saying a lot has been done to ensure
that security officers deployed for the polls
adhered to best practices.
The minister also expressed satisfaction with the
synergy between the paramilitary agencies and
the police.
He noted that the rivalry that had earlier existed
between the men of the NPF and other security
agencies had been curbed.
“I am pleased to note that the networking
between the police and the para-military services
during your tenure is commendable,” Moro said.
The minister announced that 56,000 NSCDC
personnel and 129,000 non-regular personnel of
the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps,
would be mobilised for the elections.
He also appealed to the IG to beef up security in
Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State
where Fulani herdsmen killed over 80 people last
Sunday.
www.punchng.com/news/no-waiting-at-polling-booths-after-voting-ig/

Dey must wait to see d result....