The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, has suggested that there plans by some politicians to announce results of the general elections, rather than allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to announce the results when due.
Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba says he has reason to believe that some politicians are planning to declare themselves winners in the election. He however assures police security will be available and tight.
While speaking on Thursday at the briefing of accredited observers for the 2015 General Elections by the INEC chairman, the police IG said politicians must realise that the duty of conducting and announcing the result of the elections is that of INEC and urged them to desist from announcing the result ahead of INEC.
“Let me talk about the negative activities of some of our politicians which bring about violence and threaten the integrity of the electoral process, including refusal to accept the result of an election.
“That is not even the real problem; what is the problem is if you refuse to accept the result and you resort to extra-judicial activities. Let me say it without mincing words that (if you do that) you are engaging in an activity that is against the electoral guidelines. The guidelines state that it is only INEC that can release an election result.
“Already, we are getting information and we hope it is not true that some people are planning to declare the result themselves. Certainly, it is an invitation to chaos and it is flouting the provisions of the law.
“You cannot be a leader if you don’t exhibit the qualities of leadership; a leader does not engage in illegality and particularly when it breaches even the peace of the people that you claim you are fighting for,” Abba was quoted by Daily Trust.
The IGP further said: “As stakeholders in this election, there is the need for you to know that if you don’t accept the declared result by INEC officials at different levels, the best as provided in the law is for you to approach the tribunal.”
The police boss however assured that his men and indeed all other security agencies were poised to be guided by law in the discharge of their electoral duties so as to meet up with the expectations of the Nigerian people of having free, fair and credible elections.
Abba, however, advised INEC to be more proactive in the discharge of its responsibilities especially in the distribution of electoral materials which, he said, had a record of being late in most places, leading to lateness in commencement of voting. This, he said, in turn encouraged rigging and manipulation.
The IGP also asked INEC to take another look at the idea of people staying behind after voting, saying such could lead to violence especially if after the release of the result and the people they wanted to win failed to win.
“The party agents should be enough to protect the interest of each of the political parties,” he advised INEC.
Earlier, the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, had said the selection of the observers was done in line with the guidelines which informed INEC’s engagement with foreign and local observers.
This, he said, ensures that all parties recognise that election observation is a co-operative exercise in which all sides have rights and duties.
Jega reminded the observers that their duties are purely to observe and not to monitor the election which he said are two distinct things.
“According to the INEC Guidelines for election observation, there is a fundamental difference between the two. An election monitor is an integral part of the election management structure and has a role in the administration of the election while an observer, on the other hand, does not have any role in the administration of the election nor any control or oversight functions,” he explained.
The police IG was one of many security agency bosses to be summoned by President Goodluck Jonathan in a closed door meeting. The IG was invited along with the INEC Chairman.
The details of the meeting has not been revealed with many claiming the meeting was to prepare the security forces for any post-election violence while some political observers think the meeting is similar to the one that helped rig the Ekiti elections.
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