A former Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Solomon Arase, has expressed concern on how police would be able to manage the political parties as they embark on campaigns ahead of the 2023 general elections.
According to Arase, now a security consultant, the setting aside of the Public Order Act, put police personnel in difficult position as they try to discharge their duties before, during and after the elections.
The former Police Chief spoke on Thursday, October 6, 2022, as a panelist at the 6th annual conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, GOCOP.
He noted that whereas the Public Order Act debars the police from stopping public protests and processions, the Electoral Act Section 91 (1-4) mandates the same police to monitor and control political rallies.
The ex-IGP said this put Commissioners of Police in dilemma, requiring them to think outside the box and act creatively in such ugly situation.
Arase also noted that all the political parties try to manipulate elections especially in areas consider to be their stronghold.
He mentioned another challenge as manpower crisis whereby many policemen are drafted to protect very important personalities (VIPs).
He wondered where the police would get enough manpower to man the elections across the land.
The former Police Chief called for prosecution of electoral offenders, saying it is only in Nigeria that such offenders get away with the crime they committed.
The 2022 GOCOP conference was chaired by Dr. Umar Ardo while INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, delivered the keynote address on the theme, 2023 Elections: Managing the process for credible outcome.
