From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa Professional Forum (BPF) has described as unfortunate the public display of ignorance of the roles of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) during elections by the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri.
The Secretary, BPF, Philip Erepa, in a statement in Yenagoa said he watched with dismay during a live youth programme where Diri in his remarks suggested that the police had no responsibility during elections.
Erepa said Diri ignorantly claimed that the police had no responsibility to stand as a witness to an election, which they monitored and secured.
He said Diri in his frustration also made some damaging remarks against the Commissioner of Police, CP Alausa and other respected patrons of the state and the country.
According to him, Diri and his travellers lacked the understanding that the police were saddled with the responsibility of securing any election in the country.
He said by his statement, Diri was simply trying to pre-empt the court in his failed bid to truncate a legal process challenging his declaration as a governor.
“We have watched with utter dismay Governor of Bayelsa State Senator Douye Diri, in a live youth Programme making an ignorant remark suggesting that the police have no assigned responsibilities during elections in the country.
“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.
“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 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,” he said.