Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah faults deployment of 30,000 policemen to monitor election

chika ebuzor

July 10, 2018 7:10 PM

The Ekiti state governorship election is slated to hold on July 14, 2018, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has frowned at the deployment of 30,000 policemen to monitor elections in Ekiti state.

The Ekiti state governorship election is slated to hold on July 14, 2018, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had earlier reported that will jointly deploy 30,000 personnel to ensure safety of lives and properties during the election.

Na’Allah, while speaking on the floor of the Senate Tuesday, July 10, 2018, said it is wrong for the police authorities to deploy 30,000 men to monitor elections when people are being killed in plateau and other states across the country.

The lawmaker also called for the restructuring of the Nigerian Police Force.

He said “They will use public funds to galvanise 30,000 policemen to supervise an election in Ekiti, while they could not mobilise 10,000 men to stop the killings in Zamfara and other places.

“Our party, the APC that I represent, will frown at this. It is not part of our manifesto; it is not what we promised the people and I am sure that the President himself knows that this is not acceptable.

“If there is a situation where killings are happening, we will not have 10,000 policemen. But when an election is going on, we will have 30,000 policemen. I don’t like that situation. I abhor it and I think that does not represent what we stand for as a party.

“Therefore, we will seek the indulgence of our colleagues to reform this institution that is called the Nigeria Police.”

Ekweremadu calls for transparency

Lending his voice to the Na’Allah’s observation, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu urged the police to ensure that all the personnel deployed to Ekiti state are paid their full allowance.

He said “In response to this your last statement, I am also worried about the fact that we have 30,000 policemen we could deploy in a state for an election.

“And the other issue here is the issue of sincerity in deploying 30,000 policemen. If we have 30,000 policemen and they will ensure security of lives and property, and ensure a free and fair election, there is no problem with that.

“But sometimes, some of these statistics are misleading and it only goes to count when allowances are to be paid and nobody is sure how many people actually participated.

“If we have 30,000 policemen and we can deploy them and pay them, and it is accounted for, I have no problem with that.

ALSO READ: PDP warns APC against rigging Ekiti guber poll

“But it is doubtful that we have 30,000 policemen that we can deploy in the state because of election. But somehow, allowances will be made (budgeted) for 30,000.

“We need to ensure accountability, especially when making statements on the number of people we are deploying to work in any of these places.

“This is important, not just dropping figures.”

Chris Ngige goofs at Ekiti rally

The Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige at a rally held to gather support for the APC guber candidate in Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi, on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, messed things up.

Ngige, who seemed to have forgotten the APC candidate’s name, asked those at the rally to ‘bring back Fayose’.

The minister also said Fayose is the better wife who should be brought back on Saturday.

Ngige however corrected his mistake and told them to vote for Fayemi.

chika ebuzor