Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations in Cross River State Police Command, Kabiru Ibrahim has said that they will support the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission.
He represented the State Commissioner of Police, Gyogon Grimah at a one-day town hall meeting in Calabar on electoral reforms sponsored by Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa, PAACA, in collaboration with MacArthur Foundation.
Ibrahim said, “The Commission is necessary and will complement police efforts towards strengthening electoral processes in the country.”
He said the police cannot really handle electoral offences beyond arresting offenders at polling booths.
He emphasized the importance of allied agencies and stakeholders collaborating with the police to reduce electoral crimes.
“Police is the lead internal security agency in the country. It is important for closer collaboration between electoral agencies and all concerned with elections.
“Police will continue to play its part for a safer and credible electoral process in the country. We will continue to learn from our experiences of the 2023 general elections.
“We have been intervening in electoral crimes before now but we will welcome establishment of a commission which would directly handle electoral offences,” he said.
Speaking at the event, Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu, executive director of PAACA called on Nigerians to adequately acquaint themselves with laws governing elections in the country.
He stressed the importance of owning and studying the Electoral Act assented to last year by the former president.
“It is important to let Nigerians be aware that every election is guided by laws which are contained in the Electoral Act.
“It is even more important that all stakeholders own the Electoral Act, study it, acquaint themselves with the laws and follow them up,” he added.
Another contributor, a lawyer, Inyang Ifobo said there should be room for further amendment of the act as the nation moves towards the 2027 general election.
The State Director of National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mr Ibor Otu said the agency would continue to sensitise Nigerians about electoral processes, lamenting that funding was their big challenge.