Police Can Be Witness To Election Court Process: BPF Advises Diri

 

The Bayelsa Professional Forum (BPF) on Thursday advised Governor Douye Diri that  as protectors of  Elections, the Police monitor and secure the entire process and can also be called upon to stand as witnesses in any court process involving such elections.

This was as  the group described as unfortunate the public display of ignorance of the roles of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) during elections by the Bayelsa State Governor,  Douye Diri.

The Secretary, BPF, Philip Erepa, in a statement in Yenagoa  said he watched with dismay during a live youth programme where Governor  Diri in his remarks suggested that the police  had no responsibility during elections.

Erepa stated that Governor Diri who alluded to matter before the court, which he said is supposed to be subjudiced, ignorantly claimed that the police had no responsibility to stand as a witness an election, which they monitored and secured.

He stated  that Diri has  also made some damaging remarks against the former  Commissioner of Police, CP Alausa and other respected patrons of the state and the country adding that  Diri and his co-travelers lacked the understanding that the police were saddled with the responsibility of securing any election in the country.

He said by Diri  statement  he was simply trying to pre-empt the court in his failed bid to truncate a legal process challenging his declaration as a governor.

 The statement read in quotes "Diri needs to be educated that as protectors of the elections, the police monitor and secure the entire process and can also be called upon to stand as witnesses in any court process involving such elections.

"We have watched with utter dismay Governor of Bayelsa State  Douye Diri, in a live youth programme making an ignorant remark suggesting that the police have no assigned responsibilities during elections in the country.

"What Diri and his co travellers fail to understand is that the police have statutory responsibility in the conduct of elections in Nigeria, they are the only security outfit with that responsibility. The role of the police is to secure the election. That is why you find a police man in each of the polling units. 

"We are also baffled that Diri  made the disparaging remarks against the former  Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, CP Tolani  Alausa for simply doing his job. Diri should be told that his utterance on a matter, which is subjudiced, is an affront on the judiciary and an attempt to preempt the court.

"We find Diri's recent comments as an attempt to harass not just a decorated member of the Nigeria Police Force but the entire Nigeria Police force".