The Police Service Commission (PSC) has said that the conduct of policemen on electoral duties during the October 10 Ondo State governorship election was above average.
The agency said its team visited 12 local government areas in the three senatorial districts of the state, covering 77 polling units, and received 51 telephone calls on attempts to induce voters.
The PSC spokesman, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, disclosed in an interim report issued yesterday that monitors ran into a police officer with F/No 454246 at one of the polling units in Okitipupa who politely rejected N50,000 bribe to allow thumb-printing for voters who failed to turn up for voting.
The statement titled, ‘Ondo governorship election: PSC in 12 LGAs, commends police conduct,’ said the commission would investigate further “this commendable conduct of the officer and if confirmed to be true, will consider rewarding him as it will equally visit disciplinary measure on those found wanting.”
It observed the even distribution of policemen at the polling units ranging from three to 12 depending on the size of the unit, adding that they were complemented by men of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and the joint task force.
The report noted, “The commission’s team noticed a high population of police officers of Inspector rank at most of the polling units but could not immediately ascertain the reason for using such high calibre of officers to man the polling units.
“The commission commends the leadership of the police who managed the security architecture in Ondo State led by DIG Leye Oyebade and supported by AIG Hosea Karma and Command CP Bolaji Salami.”
