The claim that the deployment of the Commissioner of Police to Edo State was linked to any influence by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory has been strongly refuted by Nemi Iwo, the Commissioner of Police in Edo. In a statement relayed by the command’s spokesperson, Moses Yamu, Iwo described the allegations as “baseless” and “malicious”.
According to him, his posting was a mere administrative procedure within the Police. He said it was ridiculous to suggest that his deployment was influenced by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory when he had no personal or professional connection with him.
While he acknowledged that being associated with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory could be an honour, he insisted that their paths had never crossed in any manner.
He also reiterated that as the Commissioner of Police, he has no power to influence the conduct of the elections, noting that more senior officers including Deputy Directors General, Deputy Inspectors General, Commissioners of Police and other senior officers have been deployed to oversee the smooth conduct of the elections in Edo State.
Furthermore, the new practices adopted by the Independent Electoral Commission do not confer any power or privilege on the Police to influence the outcome of the elections.
In this context, the command condemns the malicious reports and encourages the people of Edo to disregard the baseless story. He reaffirmed the commitment of the command to maintain neutrality and professionalism in the forthcoming governorship elections.
This frank and firm reaction by Nemi Iwo effectively refutes unfounded rumours and highlights the importance of transparency and integrity in maintaining order and security during electoral processes.