- Diri, Lyon in intense contest in Bayelsa
- Wada tackles Bello in Kogi
- Lyon gets lifeline from Appeal Court
- IG Adamu assures voters of maximum security
- 35,000 policemen deployed in Kogi, 31,041 in Bayelsa
- Police withdraw officers from VIPs in Bayelsa
- INEC Chair promises free, fair poll
Tension remains very high as voters in Bayelsa and Kogi states file out today to decide who takes charge of the administration of their states in the next four years.
As at press time, tough-looking security agents were seen on the streets of Yenagoa and Lokoja, while residents and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) plead with the political parties for peaceful poll.
In Bayelsa State, the governorship election is a straight fight between Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Lyon, who had earlier been disqualified by a Federal High Court in Bayelsa State on Thursday, got a lifeline yesterday from an Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt, which ordered INEC not to remove him from the ballot. The court gave the order following an ex parte motion filed by his counsel on Thursday.
In Kogi State, incumbent governor, Yahaya Bello of the APC has Musa Wada of the PDP to contend with.
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Incidents of violence and intemperate use of language have characterised the campaigns leading to today’s elections. In some cases, lives were lost.
Nevertheless, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu assured voters in both states of maximum security. Speaking on Tuesday in Lokoja, Adamu said security operatives on election duties would not hesitate to gun down any unauthorised person attempting to use firearm in any part of Kogi State during the ongoing electioneering process.
Adamu gave the warning during a stakeholders’ meeting/signing of Peace Accord among political parties and candidates, organised by INEC.
The police boss, who spoke after INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu had delivered his address, also warned policemen on guard duties with politicians not to allow themselves to be used by politicians to perpetrate illegality on the election day.
He warned that any policeman caught roaming the street without proper authorisation would be arrested.
He assured the general public that the police would be professional and ready to provide a level playing ground for all parties and participants, adding that the police and other security operatives on election duty would protect all INEC and other electoral officials, as well as materials for the exercise, against attacks.
Bayelsa INEC, Police Fully Prepared
Institutions directly involved in the electoral process, including INEC, the police, the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said yesterday that they were fully prepared for today’s poll in Bayelsa State.
The Bayelsa State Police Command also ordered withdrawal of policemen attached to high profile politicians.
The police, however, said in a statement that the withdrawal was temporary, stating that all persons who are affected by the instruction must comply accordingly.
Earlier, the police authorities had deployed several top officers and police commissioners to Bayelsa State, including Garba Baba Umar, Sanusi Buba, Bello Makwashi, Usman Sule Gomina, Mohammed Gimba, Bashir Makama, Habu Sani, Danladi Bitrus Lalas, Omololu Bishi, Joseph Mukan and an Acting Police Commissioner, Odumosu Olusegun, among others.
At the headquarters of the Bayelsa State Command in Yenagoa, the police assured the electorate of adequate safety during the poll, adding that 31,041, had been deployed in various locations for the poll.
Several trucks and bus-loads of police personnel were still being deployed to various local government areas as at yesterday afternoon.
Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed, had also met with political stakeholders in Bayelsa ahead of today’s governorship election.
During the meeting, which held in Yenagoa, the INEC chairman maintained that the police would take over the primary duty of securing humans and materials, noting that any other function engaged upon by the security forces, including the military, will be secondary.
“The police force is the lead agency for election security in Nigeria and the IGP is here. In addition, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) provides the bulk of ad hoc staff for election duty at polling unit level in Nigeria,” he said.
He further added: “I want to reassure you that INEC is ready. We have so far successfully implemented two out of our 14-point plan for the election as required by law.”
In a related development, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, said that he had deployed 5,000 personnel from the national headquarters to ensure that there was peaceful, credible and hitch-free election in Bayelsa State.
The Bayelsa Resident Electoral Commissioner, Monday Udoh, yesterday told voters to come out in their numbers, assuring them that INEC had fully collaborated with the security agencies to ensure a smooth process.
“We are moving forward; we came on Wednesday and sighted them, took note and also yesterday they were here. There are enough boats, enough security escorts. We have no challenge at all; we have enough vehicles to escort the materials to the centres.
“We are asking everybody to go and vote; there’s enough security protecting every person going out to vote. The DIG just spoke to me now that they have taken control of the whole place nothing, bad will happen in this election.
“We have enough security on ground to protect every voter. So, people of Bayelsa State, go out and exercise your franchise. Do not have any reason not to go out to vote,” he said.
Udoh reiterated that no party had been barred from taking part in the election, following the two court injunctions on Thursday from the Federal High Court, Yenagoa and the Appeal Court in Abuja.
He stated that INEC lawyers were studying the rulings in Abuja, but added that no party has been barred from the Saturday poll.
Also, INEC was continuing the movement of sensitive materials as at yesterday. INEC Head of Department in charge of Voter Education, Mr. Wilfred Ifogah, told journalists that party agents, INEC officials and other stakeholders, are at the CBN, Yenagoa branch to retrieve the sensitive materials.
He said that the boats being used went through the marine union and had been profiled by the Nigerian Navy to ensure that their boats were water worthy and that the drivers were trustworthy.
However, it was learnt that the difficulties in retrieving results from the riverine areas may be reduced as the Commission is likely to make use of helicopters so that where they used to have so much problem or running on the sea, materials will be airlifted.