The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, has stated
that the Police will stop candidates with criminal records from contesting in
the 2015 general elections.
Abba who hinted that the Force would collaborate with the
Department of State Security to carry out the task, added that he had made adequate
arrangements for security for all activities leading to the elections,
including party primaries, conventions, and campaigns by candidates.
Addressing senior officers including Deputy Inspectors-General of
Police, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, and Command Commissioners of
Police at a meeting to strategise on the 2105 elections at the Force
headquarters,Abuja on Wednesday, the IG said that the Police would ensure tight
security for the elections and the electorates.
He explained that electoral materials would be well protected
ahead of the elections, and accompanied to the polling units, noting that the
Police would also protect the results and allowed the party agents to witness
everything.
Abba said, “We have made adequate arrangements to make sure the
Police provide security for all activities leading to the elections including
voters registration, primaries, party convention and the campaigns by all the
political parties. In all these activities, Police will ensure that security is
provided for all party officials, INEC, candidates, and so on.
“The Police will collaborate with the SSS to ensure that
candidates with criminal records are not allowed to contest for the election.
On Election Day, materials will be well protected ahead of election and they
will be escorted to each polling unit and Police will protect the results and
party agents will be allowed to witness everything.”
Asked if he was comfortable with the relegation of the Police to
the background in internal security by the military, Abba, defended the
deployment of military personnel in the states, saying the military was
authorized by the Constitution to “support civil authorities to maintain law
and order and nothing is wrong with the military performing their
responsibility.”
When asked if he supports the deployment of soldiers for election
duty, the IG was however not allowed to respond as the Force Public Relations
Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, interjected saying, “the issue had been dealt with.”
On the 20 missing Policemen at Gwoza, Borno State, the IG said the
Force was still making efforts to locate the missing men, adding that one of
them had resurfaced.
He said the Force would not relent in its efforts to rescue the
men, noting that the issue constitutes a burden to him.
Meanwhile, the Police Service Commission, has promoted Deputy
Commissioner of Police, Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi to the substantive rank of
Commissioner of Police with effect from August 25, 2014.
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