••• Calls for Active Participation of Citizenry for Its Success
Soji Ajibola, Ibadan
The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, harped on the relevance of the 2023 General elections on the future of the Country.
The IGP made this known at a-3 day Election Security Management workshop entitled; the 2023 General Elections: Enhancing National Security Capacity for a Secure and Credible Electoral Process in Nigeria in Ibadan on Tuesday.
The police boss who was represented at the occasion by the Assistant Inspector General of Police zone 2, Lagos and Ogun states, Bode Adeyinja stressed the need for Nigerians to take the elections serious noting its implication on the future of the Country.
IGP Alkali described the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) as a midwife whose constitutional responsibity is to supervise stressing that the onus of the credibilty and success of the elections lies in the citizenry.
He said, “One of those things to put into consideration is, before election, election is not just a day event, its preparation is very important. The second thing is during election which is the most important among the three, while the third one is after the election.”
“People that can be policed are people that accepted to be policed. People that can go for peaceful election are people that have decide on their own to have a peaceful election, you all have a role to play.”
Speaking on behalf of Oyo state Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, his Special Adviser on Security Matters, Fatai Owoseni, described the issue of security as one of the major priorities of the present administration in the State
He said the state government would work on synergy with security agencies in the state to ensure free, fair and credible election.
The Deputy Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Abiodun Fadeyi said the 9th assembly through it’s bills would work towards peaceful election, adding that security agencies needs security architecture that would enhanced their work for free and fair election devoid of violence.
In his contribution, the chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), in Oyo State, Apostle Dare Ojo decried the disefranchization of the security personnel arguing that as citizens of the Country they should be allowed to vote in elections.
He added that their votes would contribute to the success of the elections.
“They should be allowed to vote a day before the election, 2023 elections will determine the way forward.”
Meanwhile, the facilitator of the workshop, Rtd IGP Solomon Arase said the event was targeted at enhancing professional knowledge of officers that would be engaged in election security in 2023.
“The workshop is designed for security personnel who will be involved in planning, coordinating, supervision of the 2023 election. There have been concerns within and outside the country on the conduct of security agencies deployed on election security duties.
“The workshop will deepen the knowledge and sharpen operational capacity of security agencies on election security management.