The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Suleiman Abba, has warned political parties planning to deploy more than one agent to polling units in the March 28 and April 11 general elections, to perish the idea, or risk arrest and prosecution of others so designated.
Abba, who gave the warning Wednesday at a meeting with zonal Assistant Inspectors General (AIGs) of Police, and Commissioners of Police in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), also pledged that officers and personnel deployed for the forthcoming elections, will be impartial and non-partisan.
He warned of dire consequences for those, who may attempt to disrupt the smooth conduct of the national and states’ elections.
The IGP said the purpose of the meeting, was to perfect strategies at preventing any form of disruption of the elections.
Answering a question on reports that some political parties said they will send up to 30 agents to each polling booth, the IGP said: “Let us even look at it from what can work and what cannot work. If any party decides to send 30 agents to each polling unit, as far as I’m concerned, it has failed the election, because you have disenfranchised your members.
“I want you to take it to be statements of people, who want to cause confusion, who, perhaps, do not want the election to take place, who also want to use extra-judicial ways in challenging what has been arranged, or what may be the outcome of the election.
“And, to those we cannot do otherwise than to send: anyone who tries or attempts to disrupt the election, will be arrested and will be prosecuted. And, these attempts can be outside the polling units, can be around the polling units, can be around the collation centres, can even be after the declaration of the results.
“Whoever wants to take the law into his own hands, should have a rethink, and the law enforcement and the security agencies, are together in this regard. If INEC makes the decision, that there will be one agent for each political party at each polling unit, any other person, who acts as agent, is committing an offence, and we will arrest him. Because, it is very clear under section 129.
“If you cannot behave yourself well at a polling unit, which is a radius of 30 metres, if you cannot behave yourself well, then you should better leave. If you try to intimidate anyone, is an offence; if you solicit for votes, is an offence. If you carry any weapon, it’s an offence. The offences are so many. I will even advise my enemy to steer clear.
“But, if you stay there, keep your cool; but, there are many temptations. So, I don’t see any problem about it; one agent for each political party that can afford it, so that when there are problems, they can easily be resolved. When you have 30 agents in a polling unit, let’s even say 30 times 10, making a decision will be difficult. And, many situations will arise, where the agents will need to come together and agree, such as when the card reader failed to recognise the fingerprint of a voter, you need to agree, and many other situations like that.
“So, I want to believe that is, perhaps, one of the efforts to cause disruption, and like I said from the beginning, we will not allow it. We will make sure that there are personnel at the polling units. We will also have intervention teams around, because of people, who would want to make trouble. So, steer clear, if you are not going to any polling unit to add value.”
Source: New Telegraph
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