Ekiti Election: Police Service Commission speaks on allegations of electoral malpractices

INEC Chairman Prof. Yakubu

The Police Service Commission, PSC has admitted that it received complaints on allegations of electoral malpractices perpetrated by the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in some polling units during Ekiti Governorship election.

The commission in a statement on Tuesday by its Spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani revealed that they received 35 complaints of vote-buying, confirming few cases of disorderliness at some polling units during the Saturday poll.

The statement reads, “Our team monitored the conduct of police officers in 45 polling units in all the three senatorial zones of the state covering 14 out of the 16 local government areas of the state.

“They received 35 complaints from the voters, party agents and observers through dedicated lines earlier circulated to both the electorate and party agents within Ekiti and outside the state.

“Some of the messages centred on vote -buying, financial inducement and restiveness in some polling units. Specifically, there was a case of the arrest and detention of party agents at Aramoko Police Division which was resolved with the intervention of the commission.

“In cases where a party agent violated the electoral law, the commission advised the police to allow the person to carry out his duty after which he could be arrested after the election.

“The commission wishes to advise that the police, in such instances where an agent commits an offence, he/she be allowed to carry out his legal duties and be arrested at the end of the voting, counting and signing of the result sheet in order to avoid sending a wrong impression that the security agencies may be biased.”