By Haruna Aliyu, Birnin Kebbi

The newly deployed commissioner of police, CP Abubakar Lawal from Lagos has appealed to politicians, and civil society organisations in Kebbi state to assist the police in ensuring peaceful conduct of the March 18th,2023, governorship elections in Kebbi state.

The new police chief made the appeal in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday at Kebbi state police command during an interactive session with politicians, traditional rulers and civil societies.

According to him, the police alone cannot do it as they can only provide security to voters but the work depends on politicians, CSOs and traditional rulers who mingle directly with the masses hence the reason to invite them to familiarise themselves with them and point out grey areas for amendments “I conducted the last elections in Zamfara it was peaceful and I am now deployed to Kebbi to conduct governorship elections, as you are aware your CP was deployed to another state “.

He noted that a strong bond has evolved between the police and other security agencies like DSS, NSCDC, NCS, PRISONS and NIS armed squad all have assisted the police during the presidential polls and have pledged to do the same for governorship elections in Kebbi.

Speaking on behalf of religious leaders, the chief imam of Kebbi central mosque Malam Muktar said that every Muslim knows that killing one soul is like killing the entire society so Muslims must not partake in political killings or destruction of properties in the name of elections all are not permitted in Islam.

Also speaking, the representative of the emir of Gwandu Alhaji Ibrahim S Kudu said that the emirate has no political party of choice but always urges people to remain peaceful and to go in peace to vote for the candidate of their choice and not engage in any violence during or after elections.

In his contributions the state chairman of the opposition peoples democratic party PDP Usman Bello Suru asked the police to warn some traditional rulers who prevail on their subjects to vote for candidates belonging to the government, he added that they have information on how some traditional rulers in the rural areas forced their subjects to vote the ruling party so the police should ensure such attitudes didn’t repeat itself during the governorship elections in Kebbi state, he also admonished INEC to remain neutral because only that can give free, fair and credible elections.

A member of the civil society who didn’t mention his name accused the police of aiding vote buying by looking the other way when politicians are sharing bundles of wrappers at the polling units which he said is a problem to the poor candidate from the opposition who may be a good candidate but voters are being induced with either cash or it’s equivalent to change their minds.