Osun Election: Police Have No Candidate, No Political Interest — IGP

Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has assured Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force will remain professional, neutral and apolitical before, during and after the August 15 governorship election in Osun State.

Disu gave the assurance on Friday in Abuja while receiving a delegation of civil society organisations (CSOs) led by Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).

The meeting focused on election security, violence prevention, voter intimidation and the neutrality of security agencies ahead of the poll.

According to the IGP, the police have put in place comprehensive security measures to guarantee a peaceful, free, fair and credible election in the state.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains a professional, apolitical and impartial institution. We have no candidate, no political party and no vested interest in the outcome of the election other than ensuring that the lawful choice of the people prevails,” Disu said.

He added that officers assigned to election duties had been reminded of their constitutional responsibility to enforce the law without fear or favour.

Disu said adequate personnel and operational assets had already been deployed across Osun, while intelligence gathering and threat assessments had been intensified to identify and neutralise potential security threats.

He warned that anyone involved in vote buying, voter intimidation, ballot box snatching, thuggery or any other electoral offence would be arrested and prosecuted regardless of political affiliation or status.

The IGP also called on political parties, candidates and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully, stressing that elections should be contests of ideas rather than violence.

“No political ambition is worth the loss of a single Nigerian life,” he said, urging political leaders to caution their supporters and respect the rule of law.

He encouraged Osun residents to come out and vote without fear, advising them not to be intimidated by rumours or misinformation and to report any suspicious activity to security personnel.

Speaking earlier, Rafsanjani said the CSOs were committed to working with the police to ensure credible elections and expressed concern over rising political tensions in the country.

Similarly, Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, said civil society groups had been monitoring developments ahead of the Osun election and had identified key election security risks.

He noted that the poll would serve as an important test for the credibility of election security institutions ahead of the 2027 general elections, adding that the public expects security agencies, especially the police, to demonstrate complete neutrality.