After pandemonium was unleash on Akure, Ondo state, between supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following violent attacks which left at least three persons death and several others injured, the National Peace Committee (NPC) led by former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.) has urged all stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that next Saturday’s governorship election be free, fair, credible and peaceful.
The NPC, in a statement signed by Abdulsalami, particularly urged the candidates, the security agencies, civil society organizations, traditional rulers and the citizens of Ondo State to support peaceful elections and admonished the electoral umpire to live up to the principles of impartiality, neutrality and statesmanship. Recalling its role in the 2015 and 2019 elections, including the just-concluded gubernatorial elections in Edo, the NPC appealed to all electoral stakeholders in the state to support the committee in ensuring a peaceful election. “To navigate Nigeria’s political landscape is tough, and to contribute to free, fair and credible elections is even more complex. Since 2015, and in line with its mandate, the National Peace Committee (NPC), has supported and contributed immensely to peaceful elections in Nigeria,” the NPC statement noted.
Meanwhile, ahead of the October 10 poll, the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu, yesterday authorized the deployment of 33, 783 personnel to Ondo to guarantee election security. Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Akure ahead of the vote, Adamu, said the deployment would comprise 30,933 conventional police personnel and 2,850 special police units. He said the police deployment would be complemented by an additional 3,500 manpower that will be drawn from other security agencies.
The IG said the personnel would be deployed to secure the 3,009 polling units in 203 Wards spread over the 18 Local Government Areas of the state. He said the security agents would provide protection for the personnel and assets of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the electorate, and the residents of Ondo State in general before, during and after the elections.
“In order to mitigate the identified threats, we shall be deploying, aside from our intelligence assets, a total of 33,783 police personnel on election security duty in Ondo State. This will comprise of 30,933 conventional police personnel and 2,850 special police units. The Police deployment will be complemented by an additional 3,500 manpower that will be drawn from other security agencies”, he said, adding that the army would be engaged to secure the inter-state borders while the Nigeria Police Air Wing would provide air surveillance.
The police boss said the measures were undertaken after security threat assessment and all the flashpoints and actors engaged in or planning to threaten the electoral process in Ondo State whom he said were identified and strategies put in place to thwart their criminal, unpatriotic and undemocratic intentions.
“As we are all aware, there have been pockets of violent attacks by political opponents against each other in some areas in the state particularly in Akoko and Ipele axis. “As condemnable as these incidents are, because electioneering campaigns are avenues for the candidates to market their manifestos to the electorates and not arenas of conflicts”, he said, warning that “it would appear that those bent on causing political crises in the State are clearly testing our collective will to decisively deal with such threats.”
