With the Edo State governorship election soon to kick off, the Nigerian Police Force has issued a crucial advisory to voters, emphasizing the importance of returning home immediately after casting their ballots.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Frank Mba, made the announcement during a special edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday.
“Tomorrow, it is important for parents and for everybody to know that if you are not accredited to carry out any of the functions related to the election, you should not be out on the street,” DIG Mba cautioned. “Just come, go out there, perform your civic duties, cast your vote, and return to your home.”
Mba assured that the police have made comprehensive preparations for a smooth election, deploying personnel to strategic locations.
“I will say all is set; we have done our deployments, and we have taken care of all our concerns. We have made provisions for tomorrow, we have taken care of INEC headquarters, the RAC centers, and anticipated operations for tomorrow, and so we are good to go,” he stated.
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Regarding vote buying, a perennial challenge in Nigerian elections, DIG Mba acknowledged the difficulty in policing this offense.
“Vote buying is one of the most difficult offenses to actually police and manage, and I am saying this with every sense of honesty,” he admitted. “The reason is simple: the bulk of vote buying and selling that takes place don’t take place in the glare of the public, in the glare of the media, in the glare of law enforcement agents.”
However, Mba pledged to tackle vote buying head-on.
“Our pledge is that the ones that happen in the glare of the public, the ones our security network are able to detect and intercept, we will deal with them,” he vowed.
As Edo State prepares to elect its next governor, 17 candidates are vying for the coveted seat at the Dennis Osadebay House in Benin City.
The election is expected to be closely contested, with voters eager to exercise their civic duty.
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