Ogun: Police pledge peaceful 2027 polls, task stakeholders on rule of law

The Ogun State Police Command has pledged to ensure a peaceful, safe, and secure atmosphere across the state before, during, and after the upcoming 2027 general elections.

The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, made the commitment in Abeokuta, Tuesday, during a two-day capacity-building workshop themed, “Elections, Security, the Law, Stakeholders and the Media.”

The workshop was organised by the Ogun State Police Command in strategic collaboration with the Development Communication Research Centre (DCRC) to prepare key actors for upcoming electoral duties.

CP Ojajuni emphasised that while security agencies held the statutory duty to maintain public order, peaceful elections ultimately depended on the active cooperation of all election stakeholders.

The police chief called on political parties, candidates, and their supporters to operate strictly within the ambit of the law and avoid actions that could trigger political violence.

He similarly implored electoral officials to execute their duties with utmost professionalism, while urging election observers and monitors to strictly adhere to their specified mandates.

“Political parties and their supporters must respect the law, election officials must discharge their responsibilities professionally and impartially.

“Observers and monitors must operate within the limits of their mandates and the media must provide accurate, balanced and responsible information,” he said.

CP Ojajuni further tasked media practitioners with delivering accurate, balanced, and responsible coverage, warning against inflammatory reports.

Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Fassy Yusuf, asserted that the credibility of election security relied heavily on total police neutrality, professional conduct, and institutional accountability.

Prof. Yusuf reminded security personnel that they were not participants in political contests and must never act or appear to act in a manner that determined electoral outcomes.

He highlighted the key provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, describing it as a landmark piece of legislation designed to safeguard and fortify Nigeria’s democratic process.