The Osun State Government has formally rejected the Nigeria Police Force’s request to suspend the local government elections scheduled for today, Saturday, February 22. This comes after the police issued a statement on Friday warning of a high likelihood of violence and significant security threats during the elections, based on credible intelligence.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, cited intelligence indicating a potential security risk if the elections proceed as planned. However, in a statement released late Friday, the Osun State Government expressed its decision to uphold the rule of law and accused the police of partisanship.
The statement, signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, stated that the government had carefully reviewed the police advice and found it to be “biased, partisan, and in contravention of democratic tenets. The government accused the police of supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) and facilitating actions contrary to the rule of law, including the enforcement of a court order that the government described as non-existent.
The government further noted that a recent court judgment had confirmed the vacancies in the Osun State councils and directed security agencies, including the police, to ensure the safety of voters and provide support for 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. It continued by condemning the police for pursuing partisan interests rather than adhering to the rule of law, which the government emphasized had been confirmed by the court ruling.
The state government reiterated its commitment to ensuring a credible, free, and fair election and encouraged Osun residents to vote peacefully. “We thank the police for their advice. We respectfully turned down the request while we urged Osun voters to peacefully exercise their voting rights on Saturday, the statement concluded.
