By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Police personnel and other law enforcement agents deployed for the Saturday governorship election in Ondo State have been advised to be above board.
This warning was given by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, in a statement issued by the spokesman of the police, Mr Frank Mba, on Wednesday.
The police chief said securities operatives should not be found acting contrary to their oaths of office or in aid of illicit electoral practices, warning that anyone caught would be “strictly and personally held liable with dire legal consequences.”
Mr Adamu assured residents of Ondo State that adequate security measures have been emplaced to ensure their safety throughout the period of the gubernatorial election and beyond.
He reiterated that there have been adequate deployments in terms of manpower, marine and aerial surveillance and other assets of the force to ensure effective security coverage.
He, therefore, enjoined all eligible voters to come out en mass to freely and peacefully exercise their franchise in line with their civic obligation, without any fear of intimidation on the day of the election.
For the politicians, he warned them against actions and utterances that could be inimical to a free, fair and credible election.
Specifically, the IGP warned that the full weight of the law will be meted out to anyone, no matter their status in society, who engages in any electoral fraud such as political violence, vote buying, ballot box snatching, hate speeches and all other unwholesome practices capable of undermining the peace and stability of the electoral process.
Adedapo Adesanya