‘Thank You For Your Advise’ – Osun Govt Rejects Police Warning Over LG Election

The Osun State Government has rejected a security advisory from the Nigeria Police Force, which recommended the suspension of the local government elections scheduled for Saturday, February 22.

Naijaonpoint reports that the Nigeria Police, on Friday, cited credible intelligence suggesting a high likelihood of violence and significant security threats if the elections were to proceed. The advisory was issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi.

However, in a late Friday statement, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, dismissed the advisory as biased and partisan, arguing that it contradicted democratic principles and favored the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Osun government accused the police of siding with the APC to undermine the elections.

“The pretence of the service to be serving the public good while actually promoting the illegality of the APC reinforces our rejection of a Greek gift,” the statement read.

The government further alleged that the police had been actively assisting the APC in enforcing a reinstatement order that was never issued by any court.

“A law enforcement agency has suddenly become a partisan wing of a political party, the APC, thereby losing all toga of a fair law agency. The negative role of the police to ignite the current face-off made its advice a poison chocolate,” the statement added.

The state government also referenced a court ruling delivered on Friday, which affirmed vacancies in Osun councils, upholding the sacking of APC local government chairmen; Directed the police and other security agencies to provide security for the elections; and Authorized the conduct of fresh local government elections on Saturday, February 22.

The government criticized the police for ignoring the court’s directives.

“Instead of the police to obey court order, the service is regrettably pursuing its partisan line by actively working against rule of law as espoused by today’s court ruling,” the statement read.

Rejecting the police’s request, the state government affirmed its commitment to conducting free and fair elections under the supervision of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC).

“We thank the police for their advice. We respectfully turned down the request while we urge Osun voters to peacefully exercise their voting rights on Saturday,” the statement added.

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