Policemen Are Begging Me for Money Since I Won Ondo Governorship Election

Ondo Governor-elect in the November 26 governorship election, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has revealed that the policemen in the state are begging him for money since he won Ondo Governorship election.

According to him, the security operatives complained to him that their allowances were not paid since they were deployed for the election last week.

Akeredolu has urged the high command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to pay the allowances of security personnel deployed for the election in the state to help its officers.

He made the plea on Wednesday in Akure while delivering his acceptance speech at the office of Independent National Elect0ral Commission (INEC) after he was given a letter of return with his deputy-elect, Agboola Ajayi.

He further revealed that the security operatives had been coming to his house since the Saturday election to demand for money from him, stressing that they were stranded and have become a burden to him.

"They have been coming to my house to beg for money telling me that they were not paid their allowances.

"How can you deploy your officers for such assignment without paying them their money? I am saying this so that the DIG can take care of the issue," he said.

However, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Femi Joseph, denied the allegations on the non-payment of election allowance for the police officers deployed for the election.

On Tuesday, Punch reported that some policemen deployed in the state on Monday took to the street of Ondo town to protest against non-payment of their allowances.

During the protest, which took place in the Funbi-Fagun area of the ancient town, the protesting officers, which comprised the regular and riot policemen, barricaded the popular Ondo-Ile-Ife Expressway with the patrol vehicles used for the election, causing gridlock on the highway for several hours.

The protesters vowed to block movement of vehicles in the area until their allowances were paid. The police authorities also denied that there was no protest, saying that the allowances of the policemen have been paid.

However, the latest information revealed by the Ondo-Governor elect shows that the police might be denying the truth.