Police Warn Leadership Of Political Parties To Caution Members

By Ayodele Oni

The Nigeria Police has sued for calm, patience as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) intensifies effort on speedy collation of results of Saturday’s election.

Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement in Abuja specifically called on leadership of political parties to caution their followers.

The statement noted that there is apprehension following close monitoring of the ongoing 2023 electoral exercise and series of intelligence reports, and high expectations from all angles.

“The Nigeria Police Force has deemed it necessary to charge Presidential Candidates of all political parties, most especially APC, PDP, LP and NNPP, to caution their party stalwarts and supporters to avoid making inciting comments capable of unnecessarily heating up the polity and creating undue excitement among the electorate and the populace in the country.

“The NPF, having assessed the trend of scaled-up expectations and psychological projections on the ongoing electoral process viz-a-viz collation of results, charged all presidential candidates, as leading and respected figures in their respective political parties, ‘to take the opportunity of this waiting period to emphasize the rule of law, respect for the Constitution, and constituted authority among their supporters.”

“We all owe a duty to ensure that the nation does not fall into anarchy on the basis of interests and sentiments.

“The Force similarly reiterated the need to desist from mounting undue pressure on the electoral process viz-a-viz the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the body which is constitutionally mandated with the conduct of elections and announcement of results, as all hands are on deck to speedily conclude collation of results and declare the winner.

“While commending the populace and electorate for their patience thus far and largely lawful conduct around the country, the Police encouraged presidential candidates to admonish their supporters to uphold the tenets of the Peace Accord recently signed for the smooth conduct of the 2023 general elections.”