No fewer than 9,000 police officers will be deployed to all areas of Oyo State, in preparation for the scheduled local government elections which will hold in all the 33 local government areas of the state, on the 21st May 2021.
Mrs Ngozi Onadeko, the state Commissioner of Police, declared that the police will not condone any form of electoral malpractices including rigging, or any form of violence from any member of the participating political parties.
The CP hinted during a peace meeting with representatives of participating political parties which took place at the police headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan.
While addressing representatives of parties, the CP appealed to party supporters not to make the election a do-or-die affair if truly their aim is to serve the people.
While addressing the party chairmen and their representatives the chairman of Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, (OYSIEC), Are Isiaka Olagunju, appealed to all participating parties to educate their supporters on the need to cut violence before, during and after the election.
While assuring them that their votes would count, he disclosed that he took the job offer because the governor had given him the assurance that he will not interfere in the peaceful conduct of the election.
“We are not going to be partial, there will be a level playground for all the parties to operate and voters should entertain no fear about the peaceful conduct of the election as arrangements have been made with other security agencies in the state to assist the police.
Representatives of other security outfits present at the peace meeting include the Directorate of State Service (DSS), Nigerian Army (NA), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Correction Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Western Security Network (otherwise known as Amotekun).
Political parties that were represented include the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Because of Our Tomorrow (BOT) Party, People Redemption Party (PRP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and the Action Alliance (AA).
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