I don’t care about what politicians say about me —Ekiti CP

In this brief encounter with KUNLE ODEREMI, the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, Bello Ahmed, speaks on arrangements for the governorship election of July 14, 2018.

THE governorship poll is just 19 days away. How prepared are the officers and men of your command amidst the rising political tempo and temperament of the key political actors involved in the election?

We are fully prepared. We are fully conscious of our role and duty and we will faithfully perform our duty.

 

Life itself is about challenges, so, the police cannot claim to be an island on such issue. What are the major challenges confronting your command as the election approaches?

It depends on what you mean by challenges. We have a robust security arrangements. I know there will be a lot of logistic support from the police headquarters in Abuja.  And we are liaising with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). We have got all the information we need and to support them to ensure a hitch-free election on July 14. I am assuring that all the nooks and crannies of the state will be effectively covered and policed.  All the entry and exit points from the state will be properly manned and I do not foresee any crisis at all.

 

The entire world is interested in the way the Ekiti election will be conducted because of its implications for 2019 general election. This realisation will, no doubt, put you on your toes. What are your fears concerning the election?

I don’t have any fear. That is the more reason we should be truly professional in our conduct and actions. All of us are on our toes to ensure a peaceful election and that everything necessary is done towards achieving that goal.  On the part of the police and the other security agencies, we shall do what is expected of us. As I said, we will contribute our own quota to ensure a free and fair exercise. We shall provide a level playing field for all the parties involved in the election to exercise their rights.

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What special thing are you bringing to the table during the election that is different from what we have had over the years; you sound so confident and exude much excitement, especially about the preparations made so far security-wise?

We have done it before; we are no beginners in such exercise. We have been specialising day in day out. We are learning on the job. At this level, we will, again, make sure we do our best.

 

In terms of manpower, to do you have the number of personnel required for security during the election?

I am beating my chest that we have got the necessary manpower for the exercise. We are deploying more than 20,000 police personnel for the exercise; that’s on the part of the police. There will be a lot of logistic support from our sister states and the police headquarters in Abuja.

 

Some leading politicians from the state often accuse the police of bias in the ongoing build-up to the poll. Why such allegations?

I am not a politician. I don’t join issues with politicians; I am not one of them. I don’t pray to be one. I’m guided by my conscience. I do the best; they are entitled to their views about me; everybody is entitled to their views about me and I am entitled to my views about them too and at the end of the day, my conscience is the best judge. So, I will do my best at all times based on professionalism and standard.

 

What efforts have you made to properly motivate the officers and men of your command in view of the great task ahead?

The motivation is on ground already. Our Inspector General has done a lot for us. In terms of the coming governorship election, everything we need is on the table. So, all that is required of us is to perform our duty sincerely, faithfully and diligently. So, what else do we need?