The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, yesterday said 30 police commissioners will supervise the September 22 governorship election.
He said each commissioner will oversee a local government. There are 30 local governments in Osun State.
Idris spoke at a seminar on security with stakeholders in the election in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
He said the idea was mooted as a way of strengthening security for the election.
The police boss also told The Nation that deployment of a huge number of policemen for the election is unlikely because he has confirmed that Osun State is peaceful and that residents are orderly.
He said: “Obviously I think we are going to do normal deployment here. I have seen and confirmed here that this is a very peaceful environment. This place is peaceful. In some other places, you see people causing problems and formenting trouble. But this is a very peaceful and orderly environment. No, we won’t have unusual deployment for this election.”
About 30,000 policemen were deployed to Ekiti State for the July 12 governorship election.
Idris said security seminars with stakeholders in elections became pertinent because it is crucial to a peaceful, free and fair election. He said the seminar would be a continuous programme.
The IGP reiterated the commitment of the police to ensuring that the exercise is not disrupted in any way, stressing that it was the reason behind deployment of 30 commissioners to the state for the election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Segun Agbaje, hailed the police. He said INEC was working hard on every aspect of the election.
He said the commission was ready and well-prepared for the election and that politicians and other stakeholders only need to play the game according to the rule, so that the efforts of the commission would not be thwarted.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, also called on politicians, INEC, security agencies and other stakeholders in the election to place the interest of the nation above any other. He advised them to ensure that all voters are able to cast their votes in an atmosphere of peace, stressing that peace is needed for development to happen.
At the seminar were representatives of other security agencies, traditional rulers, civil society groups, market women and political parties, among others.