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From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Usman Alkali Baba, has calmed the nerves of people of Ekiti State, saying the presence of heavy security for the conduct of Saturday’s governorship election was not to frighten the people, especially the electorate and cause voter apathy, but to protect the sanctity of the ballots and the provisions of the Electoral Act.
He assured that all the 177 wards and 2,445 polling units will be manned by appropriate manpower.
Similarly, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, appealed to all political parties to embrace the virtues of democracy, shun violence and allow votes of the people to count.
They spoke in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, during an Election Stakeholders’ Meeting organised by INEC with major players and participants in the coming governorship poll in the state.
Baba said no individual with invidious and parochial interest would be allowed to vitiate the outcome of the election through violence, vote buying and other actions that can taint the credibility of the poll.
Addressing the gathering which included candidates of political parties and heads of security formations, Baba warned his men against professional misconduct that can mar the results of election or disrupt the process.
He assured voters that adequate security personnel were on ground to ward off any security threat that can hinder them from exercising their franchise rights during the poll.
“Those who want to constitute a clog in the wheel of progress will face the consequences of their actions. National security should be of priority and uppermost in our minds. Let us conduct this election in the most civil manner.
“All the parties must embrace the virtues of democracy. We will not allow any person or group of persons to disrupt this election no matter how highly placed. Let all the contenders provide the moral leadership, so that we can achieve success together”, Baba stated.
INEC Chairman , Prof Yakubu, assured that the commission would maintain and protect the transparency and security of the process.
“Let me assure political parties and voters that the task of electing a new governor will be left in the hands of Ekiti voters. We won’t take any action that would put any party and candidate in a vantage position. We are going to do everything according to the constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act”.
Yakubu stated that four National Commissioners and eight Resident Electoral Commissioners have been deployed to ensure conduct of credible election, adding that 749, 065 voters representing 76 percent have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
