Need for Police to Maintain Neutrality in Edo Election

With the governorship election in Edo State due in two weeks, allegations of bias and is already trailing the poll.

Last week, the Team Asue Media Organisation (TAMO) called on the police to end all forms of harassment, intimidation and victimisation of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and allow a level-playing field for all political parties ahead of the poll. 

The organisation in a statement, expressed disappointment at the “uneven handedness” of the police in the state.

Also recently, the Director- General Asue/Ogie Campaign Management Council, Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, raised the alarm and detailed what the party has suffered in terms of arrest, harassment and intimidation of its members.

He alleged that intelligence at the party’s disposal showed that a list of prominent PDP chieftains from across the state’s three senatorial districts had been compiled and even fake court warrants of arrest with names of PDP members had been procured in a bid to weaken the party ahead of the election.

While it is understandable for the members of the PDP to feel jittery and accuse the police of bias in the state since the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) controls the federal government, which is in charge of the police, it is very important for the Force to allow a level-playing field for all political parties in the state.

There is no doubt that any attempt to take side with a political party in an electoral contest will not augur well for democracy. This is why the Force should not allow itself to be used in giving meaning to the boast by particularly the APC to deploy federal might to win the election.

The police need to arrest the thugs and non-state actors that are likely to be used to cause trouble in the state during and after the election.

Interestingly, it was in order to ensure a free and fair election that the Force Headquarters posted a new Commissioner of Police, in the person of Nemi Edwin-Iwo, to the state. Before his posting to Edo State, he was the Commissioner of Police in charge of Intelligence at the Force Intelligence Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja. With him being in charge of Edo, it is another good opportunity to deploy enough intelligence that would keep the state safe during the poll and after.