By EMMANUEL ONANI, Abuja

A police officer deployed for election duty in Ondo State, turned down a cash sum of N50,000 as inducement “to allow thumb printing for voters who failed to turn up for voting”.

The Police Service Commission (PSC) made the disclosure in its interim report on last Saturday’s Governorship election in Ondo State.

In a statement by its Head of Press and Public Relations, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, the Commission expressed worries that most polling units visited by its monitors, were manned by Police Inspectors.

It has, therefore, resolved to investigate the rationale behind using officers of that rank to provide security at voting centres.

The Commission, however, rated the conduct of police officers during the keenly-contested poll, as above average.

“The Police Service Commission says the conduct of policemen on electoral duties at the governorship election in Ondo State was above average.

“The Commission’s team visited 12 local government areas in the three Senatorial districts of the state, covering 77 polling units.

“The Commission’s team ran into an Officer with f/no 454246 at one of the polling units in Okitipupa who politely rejected monetary inducement to the tune of N50,000 to allow thumb printing for voters who failed to turn up for voting.

“The Commission will investigate further this commendable conduct of the officer and if confirmed to be true, will consider rewarding him as it will equally visit disciplinary measure on those found wanting,” Ani said.

On the deployment of Inspectors, the statement noted thus: “The Commission’s team noticed a high population of Police Officers of Inspector rank in most of the Polling units but could not immediately ascertain the reason for using such high calibre of officers to man the polling units.” (Sunday Telegraph)

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