TINUBU TASKS POLICE ON NEUTRALITY AHEAD OF 2027 ELECTIONS

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the Nigeria Police Force to remain professional, impartial and independent of political influence as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections. The President said the police must serve Nigerians without favouring any political party or interest, stressing that every citizen should feel protected regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion, social status or location. He gave the charge at the 2026 Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers held in Owerri, Imo State.

Tinubu’s address was delivered on his behalf by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, while the SGF’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, disclosed the President’s position in a statement issued in Abuja. The President said the neutrality of the police would be important in maintaining public confidence and strengthening the credibility of the electoral process. He warned against any situation in which the Force could be perceived as serving the interests of a particular political group instead of protecting the constitutional order and the Nigerian people.

The President also said preparations for the 2027 elections must go beyond the deployment of personnel to polling stations. According to him, effective election security would require proper planning, professionalism, impartiality, intelligence-led operations and coordination between the police, other security agencies and electoral stakeholders. He said officers would be expected to protect voters, electoral officials and election materials, while also preventing violence, intimidation and other activities that could discourage citizens from participating in the democratic process.

Tinubu further assured the police that the Federal Government would provide the necessary support to enable the Force to carry out its responsibilities effectively. He said peaceful campaigns and credible elections would depend partly on the ability of security agencies to create an environment where political activities could take place without fear. The President’s message came as senior police officers gathered for the conference, which focused on developing a roadmap for managing security during elections.

The conference, themed “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections,” placed particular emphasis on the security challenges associated with electoral activities. Tinubu said the police must remain a national institution serving all Nigerians rather than an instrument of political interests. He maintained that professionalism and impartiality would be central to ensuring that citizens, regardless of their political or personal backgrounds, could exercise their democratic rights under adequate protection.