As the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) battle strenuously with collation of results of the voting
in the Ekiti Governorship election, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has rated the deployment and performance of the police men on electoral duty as highly commendable.
However the Commission while absolving itself of non allegiance hinted that it does not monitor election, rather the conduct of the police men deployed for electoral duties to ensure that they maintain neutrality and order in a civil manner and ensure safe passage for all electorates.
Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, the Spokesman for the commission in a statement made available to SHARPEDGENEWS Online Saturday night said essentially, no policeman should be seen within the vicinity of the polling units with arms, horsewhips or any other weapon that may intimidate voters.
The Commission’s team, according to him, which was led by its Permanent Secretary, Mr. Musa Istifanus, monitored the conduct of the police officers in 45 polling units in all the 3 Senatorial zones of the state covering 14 out of the 16 local government areas of the State.
He said: “Although there were few cases of disorder in some isolated units, the Police and the complimentary security Agencies ensured that the election was peaceful and orderly.
“The polling units were manned by an average of four police men and complimented by men of the Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Customs and Nigerian Immigration Service.
“Major junctions in the State capital and local governments were manned by Mobile Police Men while the Men of the Nigerian Army maintained security at the entry and exit points of the State. There were also armed security personnel that patrolled all the major roads in the State. No armed security personnel were seen within the vicinity of any of the 45 polling units monitored by the Commission.
He said the team however received 35 complaints from the voters, party agents and observers through dedicated lines earlier circulated to both the electorates and party agents within Ekiti and outside the State.
According to him some of the messages centred on vote buying, financial inducement and restiveness in some polling units