IT is expected that a total of 1,990 Domestic Observers from 73 different Election Observer Groups will be on the field to observe the conduct of the 2019 general elections in Bauchi State starting with the presidential election this Saturday.
The figure was made public by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in charge of Bauchi State INEC office, Ibrahim Abdullahi during a briefing of the accredited observers held at the Bauchi INEC office on Thursday.
The REC while addressing the accredited Domestic observers warned them not to engage in any act that will discredit the smooth conduct of the electoral process just as he advised them not to allow themselves to be induced by politicians in the course of their duties.
He added that aside from the Domestic observers there are International observers who have been working in the state for the past few weeks to ensure that the electoral process was duly adhered to.
Ibrahim Abdullahi then reiterates that security agents are ready to give adequate cover to all the accredited observers who will be on the field advising them to give correct situation reports of the conduct of the electoral process without any bias.
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In his address, Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Ali Aji Janga disclosed that in order to ensure adequate security during the elections, a total of 8,440 Officers and men are to be deployed to all the polling units across the state.
The Commissioner who was represented by DCP Adamu Alhaji Ali further explained that not fewer than two Policeman will be at each polling unit to be complemented by other security agents including the Army, Air Force and paramilitary agencies like Nigerian Customs, Nigerian Immigration, NSCDC as well as SSS personnel.
Ali Janga further stated that a sizeable number of Mobile Policemen have been detailed to escort all electoral materials to the 20 INEC offices in the local government areas of the state warning that the Command will not hesitate to deal with anyone found culpable in disruptive acts before, during and after the elections.
The Police Boss also said that total and strict restrictions of movement will be enforced on the day of the election adding that only accredited observers both domestic and international will be allowed to monitor the conduct of the election.
Ali Janga then warned anyone who does not have anything to do with the conduct of the election to steer clear of the polling units just as he declared that the Command is ready to ensure a hitch-free and violent free election in the state.
In his remarks, the Head of Electoral and Party Monitoring (EPM), Abubakar Lefami advised the observers to restrict themselves to the code of conduct of elections observation in accordance with the Electoral Act as amended.
Abubakar Lefami reminded the domestic observers accredited by INEC that their duties while on the field is to merely observe and monitor the conduct of the electoral process afterwards give adequate reports of their observations pointing out that they are not to express any form of partisanship while on the field.
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