Ondo 2024: Police to deploy 22,239 officers as INEC promises efficiency

The Nigerian Police have said a total of 22,239 police officers will be deployed to Ondo State for the coverage of the 16 November governorship election.

The figure is besides the deployments from other security agencies including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), among others.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbedokun, at a political stakeholders meeting on Thursday in Akure, said a synergy of all the security agencies would be required through normal and covert operations, provide the effective security during the elections.

The IGP, who was represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 7, Abiodun Asabi, noted that with security agencies performing their roles in a fair and orderly manner, will certainly reduce the security threats to the barest minimum, with a far reaching effect on the credibility of the election.

He said: “The Nigeria Police and other supporting security agencies responsible to provide security in the forthcoming election have a responsibility to solidly synergise and work as a formidable team to identify and nip in the bud, all security threats, provide tight security at the polling stations as well as all the public spaces within the state.

“Security of the voters, the electoral officials, the electoral materials and the general public will have to be effectively provided before, during and after the election.”

The IGP also ppealed to all stakeholders to “eschew violence, avoid the do-or-die approach, do not employ thuggery and play the game according to the rules with sportsmanship spirit that will enable the loser to lose gallantly and the winner to be magnanimous in victory.”

He also warned that violators of electoral laws run the risk of diligent prosecution.

“On our part as security agencies, we promise to leave no stone unturned in order to provide hitch-free, and conducive atmosphere prior, during and the post election security at the conclusion of the process. We shall ensure that the success recorded in the Edo Election will be improved upon,” he added.

INEC chair speaks

On his part, the Chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, while addressing the stakeholders, disclosed that about 2,053,061 registered voters from the 18 local government areas of the state would participate in the exercise.

While acknowledging the synergy between the commission and the security agencies, Mr Yakubu said: “We underscored the importance of providing security during the election to guarantee personal safety and protection of observers, the media, and our own officials and, above all, the citizens that will vote during the election.

“Let me reassure stakeholders that INEC is ready for the election. We are deploying the BVAS machines for voter accreditation at polling units and for the upload of results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.

“Only yesterday, we conducted mock accreditation in 12 polling units across six Local Government Areas in the three senatorial districts of the state. The purpose was to test-run our deployment of technology to safeguard the credibility of the election.

“I am glad to report that the mock was successful and the result can be viewed on the IReV portal. But let me also quickly add that the machines used for the mock accreditation and the training of officials will not be used on election day.

“We have sufficient machines for the election which have been configured for voter accreditation and the upload of result distinct from those used for mock accreditation and training.”

Warning

Mr Yakubu warned staff of the electoral body against getting involved in manipulation during the election, saying there will be consequences for dereliction of duty in any way or form and urged political parties to continue to restrain their supporters against disruptive tendencies.

Meanwhile the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said it will announce the results of the Ondo State Governorship election at the end of the collation of results on the same day.

The election holds on Saturday, 16 November election results and winners of governorship elections, especially off cycle ones, are usually announced a day or more after the election day.

The delays are usually due to late collation of results coming in from the local governments and poor logistics.

Appeal for peace

The INEC chairperson in Akure, while monitoring the 2024 mock accreditation,0 appealed to political parties, candidates, and supporters to maintain peace before, during and after the election.

READ ALSO: Ondo 2024: INEC pledges to improve on logistics distribution, result management

“My appeal to political parties always is that we should maintain the peace that exists in the state. We are doing our best as the electoral commission, and others should also do their best, particularly the political parties and the candidates,” he said.