IGP to deploy 240,000 Policemen for April Polls in Nigeria

[TGD]

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim, yesterday disclosed that no fewer than 240,000 policemen and women would be deployed for next month's general elections.

Ringim, who disclosed this at a meeting with the political parties taking part in the elections, also cautioned his men against partisanship, stressing that any policeman linked with the act would be made to face the law.

He said each of the 120,000 polling units would have at least two policemen.

Addressing political party chieftains at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the IGP said: This meeting has been called not only to appraise how far we have gone but to look forward to what we hope to happen and what to guard against in order to have the most successful, free and fair general elections. We have done the best that we can do under the circumstances and we need the cooperation of each and everyone of you, political parties as well as members of the press.             .

"The need to have a free and fair election can not be over-emphasised. The whole world is watching us. Africa and the sub-region are watching us. Only last week, we received members of a delegation led by the former Ghanaian president. Only last week also, we received members of the European Union. So many observer groups have been here to see and find out the state of readiness of the police.''

However, major political parties including the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Action Congress of Nigeria and the All Nigeria Peoples Party did not attend the police meeting.

Also, as part of its on-going consultations with stakeholders in the electoral process preparatory to next month's general elections, the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday in Abuja held a one-day retreat for Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and Administrative Secretaries in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The meeting was a follow up to a similar one held for Electoral Officers from across the federation earlier in the week with INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, charging them to clean up the battered image of the commission by conducting free and fair general elections.

In a related development, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations in Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos, Taiwo Lakanu, yesterday pledged that the Police would ensure free and fair polls in April.

Speaking at a lecture in Lagos entitled: "Electoral Act 2010, electoral offences and roles of the Police, for officers and men of zone 2, Lakanu stressed that "the police are determined to ensure the safety of every voter and that votes cast are protected."

He added: "We are determined to ensure the safety of electoral officers before, during and after the elections, providing security for candidates during campaigns and election, ensuring free, fair, safe and lawful atmosphere for campaign by all parties and candidates without discrimination.

"We will also maintain law and order around the polling and counting centres  and ensure security for voting materials so that they are not stolen, hijacked, destroyed or fraudulently altered by any person."

Lakanu called on Nigerians to work together with the police to ensure a peaceful election.

And, at a valedictory luncheon for the out-going national leadership of the Forum of States Independent electoral Commission of Nigeria (FOSIECON) yesterday in Abuja, Jega pledged to work with the states electoral bodies for credible elections in the country.

Meanwhile, the FOSIECON has charged state Houses of Assembly to make laws that would set aside a certain percentage of local councils' revenue for its members' operations to ensure their independence.

Out-going Chairman of FOSIECON, Prof. Stephen Obioma Emejuaiwe, who made the suggestion at the luncheon, regretted that the fate of the various State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) had been left in the hands of governors, whom he accused of stifling interference and preference for dealing with RECs.

According to Emejuaiwe, "the reluctance of majority of the Resident Electoral Commissioners to abide by the decision of the Standing Committee of INEC and FOSIECON is probably their own way of resisting positive changes which might discourage their dominance of electoral matters in all the states of the federation."

He said the governors believed that by holding the SIECs to ransom, they would continue to manipulate the local council elections.

Emejuaiwe added: "The governors, realising that they hold the key to the success of democracy in this country, should ensure that they do not continue in their acts of raping the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by not conducting local government elections when due."

Ringim said: "The directive of the government is that the police and indeed, other law enforcement agents shall discharge their obligations without being partisan. The government has made adequate provision for the training of the manpower that will be deployed for this exercise.

"In this regard, I want to assure all the political parties that the police shall not approach any government or governments headed by any political party for any assistance whatsoever.

"For the first three months, the Federal Government has made provision of enough fund, enough logistics and enough wherewithal for the police to discharge its responsibilities without having to go and request or apply or demand for anything whatsoever for the prosecution of these elections."  Jega said the Abuja meeting was called to appraise the recently concluded voters' registration exercise and work out strategies to prime operational and logistics preparation for the election.

Source: Police to deploy 240,000 for April polls