2019: Police seek media collaboration for peaceful Bayelsa poll

THE Police Command in Bayelsa says it plans to collaborate with the media towards a peaceful general election in the state in 2019.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Joseph Mukan stated this when the leadership of Federated Correspondents’ Chapel, FCC, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, paid him a courtesy visit in Yenagoa on Wednesday.

“The 2019 election will be peaceful, and devoid of violence that characterised the 2015 governorship election in the state.

“There must be media and other stakeholders’ collaborations; because it is the media that can properly educate the electorate, especially youths.

“The media can sensitise youths against the dangers of thuggery and violence during the election and they in return will not yield to the temptations to get involve in violent activities,” he said.

Mukan urged politicians to play politics by the rule, noting that seeing politics as a do or die affair is not good for the nation’s political system.

“Hiring of thugs is responsible for the wave of violence during the election. I am advising the political class to see politics as a contest between brothers and kinsmen.

ALSO READ: Ganduje to establish 10 cluster workshops in Kano

“When things are done properly, we will get it right one day.

“If the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC gets it right, if the security agents get it right, if the political class gets it right, and the media gives objective reportage also we will get it right.

“We have been talking with the political gladiators on why there should be a peaceful and transparent election.

“The political class should be held responsible for violence, if they see the election as a do or die affair, they should never forget that the contest is between themselves and not with foreigners,” he said.

Earlier, Chairman of FCC, Mr Osaro Okhomina commended the commissioner for the successes recorded in stemming the rate of crime in the state.

He pledged the resolve of the media to partner with the police to achieve the objectives of the force.

On the FCC 5th Public Annual Lecture, Okhomina used the opportunity to invite the commissioner for the programme.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports that the FCC 2018 lecture titled, “The quest for a peoples’ governor, a case of Bayelsa state” is scheduled for Dec. 20, in Yenogoa.