From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has announced that its staff monitors have arrived in Ondo State to monitor the conduct of police officers on electoral duties during Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
PSC Head of Press and Public Relations Ikechukwu Ani, who made this known, said the staff monitors are in Ondo State to ensure that the police conduct themselves within approved rules and regulations and in line with established rules of engagement. He added that the commission’s monitors are expected to be in all the local government areas in the state.
The Commission Chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu (retd), while charging PSC ambassadors to conduct themselves creditably and not succumb to pressure or dilute the essence of the assignment, said the commission will continue to contribute to the sustenance and deepening of the nation’s democratic process.
The PSC Chairman said holding the police accountable for their actions and inactions during the election will promote greater dedication to duty by the officers and generally ensure the success of the elections.
He charged the officers to be firm but friendly and polite to voters, stressing that they must ensure that voters, voting materials, and the voting environment are protected and safe. He said the police, as the lead agency in internal security, which includes election security, must play a leadership role in ensuring a free, fair, and credible election in Ondo State.
The commission had on Monday, November 11, conducted a workshop on election security monitoring at its Parry Osayande Auditorium, where CP Balarabe Nayaya (retd), the technical assistant to the chairman, presented a paper to the travelling monitors.
Nayaya said the monitors must be knowledgeable about the operations of police officers on electoral duties to be able to meaningfully monitor their conduct. He presented a brief on what police officers on election duties should and should not do and advised that the monitors should be guided by the brief while on the assignment.
Meanwhile, the commission has provided dedicated telephone numbers for Nigerians to call to complain about or commend the conduct of the police during the election. The numbers are:
– Ondo Central: 08033148814
– Ondo South: 08065265651
– Ondo North: 07046756445
– Media Coordination: 08033345362