8 police commissioners to supervise polls

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE AND GBENGA ARIYIBI

STAKEHOLDERS including governorship candidates, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, promised to ensure that the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State is free and fair.

Kole Ajayi

While the candidates promised to play according to the rules and shun acts of violence, the INEC said it would ensure a level playing field while the Police said in collaboration with other security agencies, they would provide water-tight security during polls.

They spoke yesterday during a sensitisation workshop organised by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs, Senator Ben Obi in Ado-Ekiti.
Ekiti State Governor and candidate of the APC did not attend the workshop.

Chaired by General David Jemibewon (rtd), speakers at the event such as Obi, Jemibewon, Mr Kunle Fagbemi, Dr Eddie Iroh, Robina Namusisi (Country Director, IRI), Dr Mourtada Deme (Project Director, UNDP-DGD), US Consul-General, Jeff Hopkins among others urged the stakeholders to make the polls the best election ever and pave the way for credible polls in 2015.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Felix Uyanna has promised to adequately police the state, as no fewer than three policemen will man each of the 2,195 polling booths in Ekiti State.
He said about 12,000 policemen, aside other security operatives would be deployed to the state to ensure security of lives and properties during the election

Uyanna, who claimed that the three leading political parties, APC, PDP and LP were responsible for the series of violence currently witnessed in the state, disclosed that the police had mapped out strategies that will check the activities of those, who would want to rig or foment trouble during the election.

According to him,the command is expecting 8,000 policemen from various units in different parts of the country, aside the 4,000 policemen on ground to man the security of the state.
The police boss equally disclosed that no fewer than 8 commissioners of police,2 AIGs , 15 superintendents and 25 visiting mobile units are expected to work hand in hand with the police in the state.

Uyanna further disclosed that two police helicopters would man the air during the election ,adding that the police deployed to the state would stay behind for at least one week after the election.
The police boss ,expressed disgust that despite all the efforts of the command that politicians in the state still circumvent the police in doing their job by causing mayhem in the state

The PDP gubernatorial candidate,Mr Ayo Fayose had earlier in his goodwill message advised the police to leave up to expectation in manning security of lives and property of the state.

Accusing the APC governement of putting the state under siege and planning to rig the polls , booking in advance most hotels in the state, he wondered why police who curb the excesses of armed robbers may find it difficult in curbing the excesses of politicians.

*Jega

Fayose urged the police to invite leaders of the various political parties to mention some of the flash points where there are likely to be crisis in the state.
The PDP candidate who assured that he will play by the rules said any of his followers caught fomenting trouble should be prosecuted.

In his goodwill message, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, who was represented by Professor Lai Olorode, decried the spate of violence he said had trailed campaigns in the build up to the Ekiti election.

Describing the violence as frightening, he said: “INEC reads with trepidation what happens at campaigns in Ekiti and we are not happy that there is violence. There must be secured environment for elections.”

He said Ekiti had been termed a state with highest literacy rate in the country but noted that “if truly you have the highest literacy rate in the country, then let it be proven on June 21 because literacy and peaceful conduct of election must go together.”
He called on electoral stake holders in the state to support INEC and charged them to ensure that “the gains made in the past electoral process must not be reversed.’

Earlier in his welcome address, the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs, Senator Ben Obi, said the workshop was the fourth in the series after those in Edo, Ondo and Anambra elections, and added that the main thrust of the Ekiti workshop was “to replicate the success achieved in Edo, Ondo and Anambra states governorship elections through deliberations and exchange of ideas.”

Obi expressed the hope that “all political parties would join hands together to provide an environment appropriate for economic development and growth in the country, leading to sustained wealth creation and poverty reduction.