The Centre for Accountability (CPA) has commended the Nigerian Police, particularly the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman for what it described, as their professional conduct during the recent governorship election held in Osun State.
At a roundtable in Lagos on Saturday, where the group conducted an appraisal of the recently conducted Governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun, towards analysing the country’s preparedness for the 2023 General elections, the group’s Executive Director, Olufemi Lawson, said the Police
scored 95 per cent in terms of conduct at the polling units across the state, during the election.
“It is impressive to state, that the level of professionalism witnessed on the part of Officers and Men of the Nigerian Police most importantly during the July 16 Osun Governorship is unprecedented and must be commended, especially when we remember, the roles that politicians have used our policemen to play, during past elections in this country.”
“Beyond the fact that Osun election marked an improvement in the arrival of policemen at their designated polling units, the near absence of any form of violence, indicated the full preparation made by the IGP Alkali Usman led leadership of the Nigerian Police.
The group further described as very friendly and approachable, the conduct of policemen during the election, just as it applauded the presence of several senior officers of the force, deployed to monitor the poll.
On the use of force, the CSO said there was no application of force in over 90 per cent of the units but said that in about 10 per cent of units, “policemen bearing firearms were sighted.”
The group said it will be engaging the leadership of the Nigerian Police, in working towards a post-election reflection engagements, which would allow for the evaluation of the management of election security ahead of the 2023 General elections in the country.