Rivers LG poll: Police partisanship in election becoming too brazen, RULAAC cautions
By Ishaya Ibrahim
A non-governmental organization, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has warned against the brazen partisanship of the police in local elections, saying the trend poses a grave danger to Nigeria’s democracy.
A statement by RULAAC’s executive director, Okechukwu Nwanguma on Friday said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must ensure that the Nigeria Police Force operates independently and refrains from interfering in state electoral matters.
RULAAC’s statement was in reaction to events in Rivers State where the police have been accused of helping those against the October 5 local government election to achieve their objective.
The statement reads, “Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) is deeply concerned about the reported attempt by a police team from the Rivers State Police Command to break into the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission’s strong room to remove electoral materials meant for Saturday local government elections in Rivers State. This incident, especially in light of recent allegations of police partisanship during the Edo State governorship election, and later in the local government electoral sham in Imo State underscores a troubling trend of political interference and brazen irregularities in local elections by federal authorities instrumentalising the police.
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“Local government elections are under the jurisdiction of state governments, and any attempt by federal politicians to leverage police power for electoral manipulation is a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic process. Such actions undermine the integrity of elections and erode public trust in democratic institutions.
“President Tinubu must ensure that the Nigeria Police Force operates independently and refrains from interfering in state electoral matters, thereby allowing states to manage their own affairs without undue federal influence. This is essential for the preservation and strengthening of Nigeria’s democracy.”