The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the deployment of 21,000 police personnel ahead of the Osun July 16 governorship election.
The Police Chief stated this Tuesday, in Osogbo at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Osun 2022 Governorship Election Stakeholders’ meeting.
TheFact Daily reports that according to IGP Baba, the deployment was not to intimidate residents but to prevent miscreants from highjacking or disrupting the election process.
He stated further that the deployed officers would provide security, protect the electorate, INEC personnel and materials before, during and after the election.
He assured that the officers deployed had already been trained and made aware of the rules of engagement, adding that they remained apolitical and were to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
INEC National Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in his address, said the Commission was fully ready to conduct the Osun election as election materials have already been deployed to all the state INEC local government area offices.
He said sensitive materials would be delivered to the wards 24 hours to the election and that the Permanent Voter’s Cards, PVCs, collection would still continue untill two days to the governorship election.
O the status of PVC collection in the State, the INEC boss disclosed that of the 1,955,657 registered voters in Osun, 1,479,959 voters have collected their PVCs as at Sunday, 10 July.
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.
