As the police high command in Abuja has deployed 6,000 officers and men to man the Rivers’ rerun elections this Saturday, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Zone 6, Calabar (DIG), Sotonye Wakama, who is leading the squad, has stormed Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, sternly warning those who plan to foment trouble at to steer clear of the state.
The atmosphere appeared calm and subdued when he arrived Monday, but Wakama said when he visited the state office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Port Harcourt that the electoral staff were assured of adequate safety during and after the elections.
Rerun elections into all the three senatorial districts and 25 State Assembly seats, vacated by the Appeal Court last December 2015, would be held this Saturday, March 19.
The DIG, who is an indigene of the state, from Okrika, suspects that the polls in the state would likely be contentious, and assured that the police would be squarely on alert to nip-in-the bud, any untoward electoral crime.
He particularly said anybody caught trying to instigate trouble would be severely dealt with according to the law.
“Police are ready to bring the needed security across the state, and more so, the flashpoint areas, to ensure peaceful exercise. Police would react to the restless ones in accordance with their actions and activities,” Wakama said.
Accompanied by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), zone six, Adisa Bolanta, he said: “We all know that rerun elections in Rivers State are likely to be competitive, if not contentious. A lot has happened in the state that calls for concern to both the indigenes and residents in the state and beyond. It is for this reason that I have come down to the state, to speak to all the stakeholders involved in the election; and to reassure INEC of safe polls; and to warn that if anything happens in this state; if we see anybody for any reason, doing anything that is untoward, which will harm any individual or destroy any property, we will stretch the elasticity of the law in respect to that offence to fullest extent and deal with such person(s).”
“Already, flashpoint areas have been identified, and we have made sufficient arrangements in terms of men and resources for those places,” he said.
Also speaking, National Electoral Commissioner, Amina Zakari, assured the readiness of INEC to conduct peaceful, free and fair polls in the state; but appealed for conducive environment to achieve that.
“I am in the state to see the level of preparedness, and to reassure the people of the state that INEC is ready to conduct peaceful, free and fair elections; but the peace has to come from the people of the state. INEC is committed to doing the right thing in conducive environment,” she said.
Speaking further, the INEC state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Aniedi Ikoiwak emphasised the full use of card readers in the conduct of the polls to avoid irregularities.
BEN EGUZOZIE
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