The Police Service Commission has despatched Staff Monitors to the 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State to monitor the conduct of Police Officers during the state Governorship election holding coming Saturday, July 16th, 2022.
According to a statement signed by Head, Press and Public Relations, PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, the Commission will also be at the Situation Room of the Civil Society Organisations and the Security Control Room at the Police State Command Headquarters in Osogbo, capital of Osun State.
Ani said: “The first batch of the Commission’s delegation arrived Osun State on Tuesday, July 12th while the second batch are expected in the various Local Government Areas today Thursday 14th of July 2022.”
The Commission’s Chairman Alhaji Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police, urged Police Officers involved in the security of the elections to beat the record set during the recently held Ekiti Governorship election that was widely adjudged to be free and fair.
Alhaji Smith called for greater commitment from the Police so that the Osun Election will signpost a bright future for election policing especially as the nation counts down to the 2023 General elections.
He advised the Staff of the Commission to strive to also maintain a high level of commitment adding that the Commission will not hesitate to punish any staff found wanting during the national assignment.
Smith urged the Police Officers to work professionally and avoid all partisan tendencies during the elections.
Ani said that the Commission had already released dedicated telephone numbers for interested Nigerians to call to complain of any infraction or commend the exemplary conduct of Police Officers during the election. The numbers are: 08055606514; 08033345362; 07037158656
Ani said: “The PSC has the Constitutional responsibility to appoint, promote, dismiss, and exercise disciplinary control on all Police Officers with the exception of the Inspector General of Police. The Commission also believes that the success of elections in the country hugely depends on the ability of the Police to maintain law and order during such elections where every Nigerian will have an unhindered opportunity to exercise his or her democratic rights to vote and be voted for and for such votes to count. The Commission is determined to ensure that this is entrenched in the country through these deliberate efforts to ensure the Police, the lead Agency in Internal security, including election Security, operates within established rules and regulations.”
