As vote counting begins in Ondo State, the Nigeria Police Force is putting on a show of muscle, with Deputy Inspector-General Sylvester Abiodun Alabi instructing officers to be “vigilant” and crack down on unauthorized movement around collation centers. Given the typical chaos Nigerian elections are known for, it’s quite funny to see these sudden demands for strict order and discipline from law enforcement. The Force’s spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, emphasized that Alabi’s inspections of polling units and collation centers are to ensure “integrity and transparency.”
Alabi’s orders were clear, officers are to account for every voting material and maintain a strict watch on the vote collation process to avoid any disruptions. You have to ask: why does it take a high-profile election for the police to suddenly spring into action? According to the Force, these “strict safety protocols” will prevent any irregularities, as if election rigging isn’t already a well-oiled machine in Nigeria’s political system.
Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, was also quick to assure Ondo residents of top-notch security throughout the electoral process. However, considering the frequent reports of ballot snatching and violence in previous elections, this sounds like a recycled promise that has long lost its meaning.
The Ondo governorship election saw 18 candidates vying for the state’s top seat. Despite the long list, analysts and political observers have narrowed it down to a face-off between Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Ajayi Agboola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Both contenders have deep roots in the state’s political scene, serving as former deputy governors under the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, whose death last year left a power vacuum that Aiyedatiwa now seeks to officially fill.
While INEC staff hustled to get election materials ready by 6 am, voting kicked off around 8 am across Ondo’s 3,933 polling units. As expected, both major candidates have been quick to claim the process is either going smoothly or is flawed, depending on how the vote appears to be swinging.
Ultimately, the police’s heavy involvement is either a genuine attempt to safeguard the process or just another episode in Nigeria’s never-ending election drama. With fingers crossed and eyes rolling, the people of Ondo State can only hope for an outcome that reflects their true choice, though history suggests it’s anyone’s guess how this will play out.
