The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kwara State, has commenced distribution of sensitive materials across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state for Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Attahiru Madami who supervised the distribution at the Ilorin branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said the Commission began the distribution early enough in order to ensure that all materials get to the appropriate polling units on time.
He assured that at least 10 armed men would escort each electoral material to the local government headquarters to ensure adequate protection of the sensitive materials.
The commissioner said no electoral officer should accredit voter without using card reader, warning that such results would be cancelled.
He explained that the commission had deployed enough back up card readers to ensure that all eligible voters were accredited with the gadget.
Mallam Madami added that all the officials participating in the Saturday’s election would be retrained on Friday to ensure improvement and credibility in the discharge of their duties.
…Police, NSCDC, others deploy 8,000 for poll
By Ahmed Ajikobi
To ensure a hitch free governorship and House of Assembly elections, the Kwara State Police Command, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Customs and the Immigration will deploy no fewer than 8,000 officers across the state on Saturday.
The security agencies made this known during separate interviews with our reporter in their offices, yesterday.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi, said the Commissioner of Police, Kayode Egbetokun will personally lead 3,979, officers in the state and others to be deployed for the election exercise.
He added that like the previous elections, the command will be collaborating with sister security agencies to ensure adequate security for the election.
Okasanmi said that the command and other security agencies have held meetings with leadership of political parties and candidates who were given form of undertaking to sign towards peaceful election.
According to him, men of the state command have been deployed to different polling units even as he advised the electorate to maintain peace.
He warned voters to maintain orderliness as anyone found wanting will be arrested.
“If they (voters) wish to hear the result, they can give like 300 meters to the voting arena and peacefully monitor events,” he said.
Similarly, the spokesperson for the Kwara NSCDC, Olorunfemi Bello, said the command will deploy 2,000 officers for the polls.
Also, his FRSC counterpart, Uchechukwu Wihioka, said 587 of his officers will join sister security agencies to protect lives and property, before, during and after the elections.
“587 of our men would be deployed across the zonal command, sector command and units under the command,” he stated.
Wihioka however charged his officers to be guided by the operational order and code of conduct for security purpose.
“We are working in collaboration with sister agencies to bring in their men to augment the efforts of the corps.
“We expect to witness free and transparent elections, devoid of crashes on our roads,” he said.
Wihioka warned those that will travel for the election to plan their trip and drive only during the day.
On his part, the Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Alhaji Umar Abu said 56 officers would be deployed for the polls.
… Police deploy 7 DIGs, 10 AIGs, others
The Nigerian Police Force has deployed seven Deputy Inspector General of Police and 10 Assistant Inspector General of Police to ensure proper supervision of all security personnel, professional and nonpartisan during the governorship elections billed for Saturday.
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Frank Mba explained that this is in line with the Acting Inspector General of Polic(IGP), Mohammed Adamu’s commitment towards providing adequate security for the general elections.
He noted that the seven Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs) were deployed to the six geo-political zones across the country, while the 10 Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) were deployed to the police zonal commands.
Also, additional 277 Commissioners of Police were deployed to complement the efforts of the respective Commissioners of Police in the 36 state commands and the FCT.
Mba noted that “with this deployment, each command now has additional three CPs deployed to the three senatorial districts in their respective states of assignment which will form part of security management base for the command CPs.
“However, based on security assessment earlier carried out by the Force, some local government areas in Plateau, Benue, Imo and Taraba states have one Commissioner of Police each deployed to coordinate security in the LGA.
“Each of them is expected to work with the Command CP and to ensure that no stone is left unturned towards emplacing adequate security including the supervision of security personnel deployed to each of the Senatorial Districts under their watch.”
Meanwhile, four Commands, Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo and Sokoto have new CPs posted specifically as Command CP for purposes of the election. The IGP assures that just as in the recently concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections, the Nigeria Police Force shall remain civil, firm, optimally professional and apolitical in the discharge of our duties in the 9th March, 2019 elections.
