In line with the imminent governorship election in Kogi state slated for November 21, there seems to be a high level of preparation on the part of security agencies in corroboration of the assurance that Governor Idris Wada gave on Wednesday, October 7, to provide adequate security for the electorates.
The inspector general of police, Solomon Arase, vowed to deploy seven police officers to each of the poling units across the state in order to checkmate electoral violence, This Day reports.
This was disclosed at a sensitisation seminar organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Wednesday in Lokoja through the state commissioner of police, Emmanuel Ojukwu who represented Arase. He added that flash spots and some elements considered to be security threat to the coming election had been identified.
The police boss gave an assurance that there will be adequate security in the state during the governorship poll. He noted that the police force is in the process of deploying seven police officers to each of the 4, 548 polling units in Kogi.
He said: “We are working hard to deploy more police men and women to guarantee law and order during the poll.”
He added that the force will mount an aerial surveillance across nooks and crannies of the state to forestall violence and provide tight security at collation centres.
The resident commissioner of the INEC in the state, Halilu Pai, in his statement said that the commission will conduct a free and fair election.
The commissioner said that the additional 47, 389 new voters had been registered in the state, saying that newly registered voters will receive their permanent voters’ card before the election.
Speaking further, Pai said that the elderly ones and people with special needs will be accredited and allowed to vote first during the election.
Assuring that the INEC will soon embark on voter education and enlightenment, Pai said that the recent audit of PVCs carried out by the commission had indicated that 1.9 million permanent voters’ cards had been distributed while 308, 159 are yet to be collected.
He admonished the stakeholders including the media to be part of the campaign.
Governor Wada who will contest on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in the governorship poll on his part also pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari not to interfere with the poll stressing that all that is needed from the president and the federal government is a level playing field before and during the forthcoming election.
The inspector general of police, Solomon Arase, vowed to deploy seven police officers to each of the poling units across the state in order to checkmate electoral violence, This Day reports.
This was disclosed at a sensitisation seminar organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Wednesday in Lokoja through the state commissioner of police, Emmanuel Ojukwu who represented Arase. He added that flash spots and some elements considered to be security threat to the coming election had been identified.
The police boss gave an assurance that there will be adequate security in the state during the governorship poll. He noted that the police force is in the process of deploying seven police officers to each of the 4, 548 polling units in Kogi.
He said: “We are working hard to deploy more police men and women to guarantee law and order during the poll.”
He added that the force will mount an aerial surveillance across nooks and crannies of the state to forestall violence and provide tight security at collation centres.
The resident commissioner of the INEC in the state, Halilu Pai, in his statement said that the commission will conduct a free and fair election.
The commissioner said that the additional 47, 389 new voters had been registered in the state, saying that newly registered voters will receive their permanent voters’ card before the election.
Speaking further, Pai said that the elderly ones and people with special needs will be accredited and allowed to vote first during the election.
Assuring that the INEC will soon embark on voter education and enlightenment, Pai said that the recent audit of PVCs carried out by the commission had indicated that 1.9 million permanent voters’ cards had been distributed while 308, 159 are yet to be collected.
He admonished the stakeholders including the media to be part of the campaign.
Governor Wada who will contest on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in the governorship poll on his part also pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari not to interfere with the poll stressing that all that is needed from the president and the federal government is a level playing field before and during the forthcoming election.
