By Jimitota Onoyume, Gbenga Oke, & Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT— AHEAD of Saturday’s rerun election in Rivers State, the state Police Command, yesterday, announced that police orderlies would be withdrawn from politicians during the election, declaring its readiness to provide adequate security during the polls.

Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Francis Odesanya, who spoke yesterday during a stakeholders meeting with representatives of the political parties and the security heads in the state, warned that perpetrators of violence would be dealt with accordingly.

This came as the state Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct security agencies in the state to act within the law during the rerun elections in the state, even as Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi warned that law enforcement agents would deal with anyone caught breaking the Electoral Act during the polls.

On his part, Governor Nyesom Wike, denied allegations that he was inciting the public against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the police ahead the elections.

Meanwhile, Odesanya said the Police would not be allowed to go close to the polling units with guns and ammunition and promised level playing field for all the political parties in the election.

IGP-Idris

He said: “This meeting is important to enable stakeholders to conclude all arrangements to ensure that the election is free, fair, credible and violence free.  The police will also ensure that the election is devoid of violence because the March 19 rerun election was marred with irregularities. All security escorts attached to the politicians will be withdrawn till after the elections.

No security personnel will be allowed to move to the polling units with gun. This is one election the police are taking seriously because we want to prove to the world that we are capable of providing security.

“The police will not give in to such laxity in security again. We will not fold our hands and watch criminals hijack the process. I warn all politicians to maintain peace. Anyone who causes violence will be visited with the full weight of the law. The hoodlums who have been given fake security uniforms will not have the chance to wear them.”

Speaking, INEC, through the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak,  said it was ready to conduct a credible election, noting that the sensitive materials for the election would be distributed  on Thursday immediately they arrive from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Ikoiwak explained that the commission had finished the training of ad-hoc staff to be used for the election, adding, “We  have concluded the training of the ad hoc staff to be used for the election apart from the collation officers to be used. Politicians have combed all the universities in the country to find out who the collation officers are.”

On his part, Amaechi, who was represented by Senator Magnus Abe,  candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers South-East senatorial district at a thanksgiving service in honour of Ojukaye Flag-Amachree in Buguma, headquarters of Asari Toru Local Government Area, said he heard some persons were threatening to molest electoral officers on the election day

Advising the electorate to conduct themselves responsibly during the exercise, he warned that “any policeman who refuses to carry out his constitutional duties because of  inducement or threat is a traitor to the constitution of Nigeria.