The Police Service Commission (PSC) has reported instances of vote buying at several polling centers during the Ondo State governorship election.
PSC spokesperson Ikechukwu Ani revealed that the Commission deployed staff to monitor the conduct of police officers and noted that vote buying has become a recurring challenge in elections nationwide.
“There were reports of isolated cases of vote buying at some voting centers, which remains a persistent issue in elections across the country,” Ani said.
Despite this concern, the Commission commended the performance of security personnel deployed for the election, expressing satisfaction with their conduct.
“The PSC is pleased with the performance of security officers, particularly the police, during the Ondo State governorship election. Monitors reported that police personnel arrived at voting centers on time and effectively fulfilled their constitutional duty of maintaining a secure election environment,” the statement read.
The monitors observed that the officers were professional, polite, and firm in their duties. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Sylvester Abiodun Alabi, overseeing security for the election, coordinated a seamless deployment of personnel, supported by senior officers, including AIG Benneth Igwe, Ondo State Commissioner of Police CP Abayomi Oladipo Peter, and CP Olatunji Disu of the Federal Capital Territory.
The Commission also noted that election security was generally credible and above average, receiving commendations from the Civil Society Situation Room. The Situation Room praised the PSC for its proactive oversight of police conduct during the election.