The Police Service Commission (PSC) has deployed its staff to monitor the November 11 governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.
A press statement by the commission’s Head Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, said the staff monitors would be deployed to all the Senatorial Districts in the three states and have been mandated to monitor strictly the conduct of policemen on election duties in the states.
He said the commission would the police officers on election duties accountable for their actions and inactions and would not hesitate to discipline appropriately any officer found wanting in the discharge of his/her election duties.
The spokesperson said Chairman of the Commission, IGP Solomon Arase (retd.), has commended the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for the material support he made available for proper policing of both the electorates and election materials.
“Arase said the provision of essential security architecture by the Inspector General of Police should serve as enough motivation for the Police to ensure a free and fair elections.
“He demanded that the officers should reciprocate the support from the IGP and conduct themselves creditably before during and after the elections.
“The PSC chairman said the officers on election duties like Caeser’s wife must be above reproach adding that they must conduct themselves in line with established laws and guidelines on election duty.
“He noted that the success or failure of the election largely depends on the actions and inactions of the officers and warned that misconduct during the elections must attract commensurate consequences,” the statement read in part.
The spokesperson explained that monitoring of police conduct during elections was the commission’s contribution to the sustenance of credible and lasting democracy in Nigeria.
“The success or not of the elections has a lot to do with the performance of Policemen on election duties especially as the government lead agency in internal security,” he added.
