2027 Election: Tinubu, Uzodimma Urge Police to Remain Impartial - THISDAYLIVE

President Bola Tinubu and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma yesterday charged the Nigeria Police Force to maintain professionalism and impartiality ahead of the 2027 general elections, as Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, warned officers against compromising their neutrality.

They spoke at the opening of the 2026 Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Owerri, Imo State, where the IGP also charged politicians to compete with ideas rather than thuggery, warning that the police would act against those involved in vote-buying, arms mobilisation, intimidation and threats to voters or electoral officials.

The three-day retreat, themed: “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security during Elections”, brought together senior police officers and representatives of other security and law enforcement agencies.

Representing Tinubu at the event, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, said the police had a central responsibility in protecting voters, electoral officials, candidates and election materials.

He urged the force to embrace technology, improve response times and deepen cooperation with other security agencies, while assuring it of continued federal government support for reforms, training, technology, welfare and operational logistics.

He said: “The security of our electoral process is not merely about protecting ballot papers or polling stations. It is about protecting citizens, safeguarding electoral officials and materials, creating an environment in which political parties and candidates can campaign peacefully, preventing violence and intimidation, and ensuring that every Nigerian who chooses to participate in our democracy can do so without fear.

“The 2027 general elections will therefore require careful preparation, professionalism, impartiality, intelligence-led operations, and close coordination among all security and electoral stakeholders.”

Tinubu further directed the police to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve response times, deepen community engagement and embrace technology, stressing that the Force must build public confidence through professionalism, discipline and accountability.

“The federal government expects the Nigerian Police Force to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and impartiality in the discharge of its electoral responsibilities. Every Nigerian, irrespective of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion, social status, or geographical location, must feel protected by the police.

“The police must be seen not as an instrument of political interest, but as a national institution serving the Nigerian people and protecting the constitutional order. This is fundamental to public trust and to the credibility of our democracy,” he said.

Uzodimma, who hosted the retreat, similarly urged the police to strengthen intelligence-led policing, embrace digital technology and improve inter-agency coordination ahead of the elections.

The governor said misinformation and digital manipulation had created new challenges for election security, stressing that police neutrality and public trust were critical to ensuring credible elections.

He also advocated decentralised policing, saying state police could bring security closer to communities, while acknowledging the need to address recruitment, funding, training, accountability and safeguards against political abuse.

Uzodimma warned against any police conduct capable of discouraging voters from coming out to exercise their civic rights, urging officers to ensure that the knowledge gained at the retreat reached the rank and file.

He said the credibility of elections hinged on whether citizens could cast their votes without fear, placing the police at the centre of securing political rallies and campaigns, electoral materials and results.

The governor also disclosed that 7,000 operatives of the Imo Vigilante Organisation had been inaugurated to work closely with the police, particularly in intelligence gathering.

He said local knowledge, combined with local policing, could produce more effective security outcomes, urging the police to prioritise information management and early detection of emerging security threats. Uzodimma stressed that the police occupied a sensitive position during elections, where careless actions could be interpreted differently by the public.

In his remarks, Disu assured Nigerians that the police would work towards delivering free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in 2027, unveiling a six-point roadmap focused on intelligence, training, joint command, communication, community partnership and neutrality.

He warned political actors against hiring mobs, buying votes, moving arms or threatening voters and electoral officials.

“To politicians and their supporters, my message is simple. Compete with ideas, not with thugs. Do not hire mobs, buy votes, move arms or threaten voters and electoral officials.

“The Police will act against anyone who does, whatever their status. Arrest is not enough. We will work with INEC, the EFCC and the ICPC to investigate vote-buying and inducement, and with prosecutors so that those arrested face trial, not just headlines. Impunity is the greatest encouragement to electoral crime,” he said.

The IGP said the first priority under the roadmap was to activate intelligence and early-warning systems, with flashpoints and criminal networks mapped ahead of the elections.

“First, we must know early. Our intelligence and early-warning systems must be fully activated, with flashpoints and criminal networks mapped now. Commissioners must know their communities, and credible intelligence must reach command in time to act.

“Second, we must train hard. Our officers will be trained in crowd management, the protection of electoral personnel and materials, conflict prevention, rapid response and human-rights-compliant policing, and they must be ready in mind as well as in skill.”

Disu said the training would include the protection of INEC ad hoc staff, voters, women, the elderly and persons with disabilities.

He also warned police officers against compromising their neutrality or abusing voters, stressing that election security covered the entire electoral cycle and not just election day.

“It covers the whole electoral cycle: intelligence, planning, training, protecting INEC staff and materials, preventing violence and responding fast. We must prepare before the crisis, not during it,” he said.

Disu further said the force would work with INEC and other agencies on joint operations, proactive monitoring of election-related misinformation and improved protection of the electoral process.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, represented by Patrick Ndubueze, commended the professionalism of senior police officers and urged them to develop strategies that would promote peaceful and secure elections.

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, Abubakar Yalleman, represented by Eugene Dibiagwu, called for greater intelligence gathering, technology, inter-agency cooperation, professionalism and public trust in election security.

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