Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba has said that asking voters to wait and protect their votes is unacceptable, Voters should go home after casting their votes, the police will protect their votes.
Abba, who addressed accredited observers for the general elections in Abuja, said Two to three police officers will be attached to each polling unit, and we would provide more officers for the collation centres and for the managers of the elections.
“We will go on to protect the electorate. Every eligible voter should feel safe enough to cast his votes. We will be there to protect the votes and make sure no one disrupts the process.
“Cast your votes and go and cool down. If you remain there, there is a likelihood that you will commit an offence.
“Asking voters to wait and protect their votes implies taking the law into their own hands. It is unacceptable.”
He also added that “We have heard some people are threatening to declare election results; we hope it is not true. If you don’t accept the declared result by INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission), the best way is to proceed to the tribunal.
“The refusal to accept the result and resort to extrajudicial activities is a threat to the electoral process. But where they don’t heed the appeal, the police will act within the law to protect the electoral process.”
Abba articulately condemned the recruitment of thugs by politicians to achieve their goals.