The Inspector General of Police, Mr Usman Alkali Baba, yesterday, said 21,000 police officers would be deployed for the Osun governorship election on Saturday.
Alkali Baba stated this in Osogbo, at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Osun 2022 Governorship Election Stakeholders’ Meeting.
The IGP, however, said that the deployment was not to intimidate residents, but to prevent miscreants from hijacking or disrupting the election process.
He said the deployed officers would provide security, protect the electorate, INEC personnel and materials before, during and after the election.
He said the officers deployed had already been trained and made aware of the rules of engagement, adding that the police remained apolitical and they were to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
The Chairman, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the commission was fully ready to conduct the Osun election. He said the election materials had already been deployed to all the state INEC local government area offices.
Yakubu said sensitive materials would be delivered to the wards 24 hours to the election, while the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) collection would still continue until tomorrow, two days to the governorship election.
Giving the records on PVC collection in the state, Mahmood added that out of the 1,955,657 registered voters in Osun, 1,479,959 voters had collected their PVCs as of INEC record of Sunday, July 10.
He said INEC would also be setting a record as Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) would, also, be deployed as ad hoc staff selected from NYSC corps members) for the election, asking the electorate to cooperate and protect them.
He said that five INEC National Commissioners, 12 Resident Electoral Commissioners and other senior INEC officers would be in the state to support the Osun office to deliver a credible, free, fair and conclusive election.