Bauchi police assures hitch-free Senatorial by-election, restricts movement

AHEAD of the Bauchi South Senatorial bye-election slated for this Saturday, Bauchi state Command of the Nigeria Police Force has expressed its commitment to ensuring a peaceful conduct of the exercise.

The Commissioner of Police in charge of Elections, Ahmed Illiyasu, stated this in Bauchi at a meeting of stakeholders comprising of security agencies, political parties and the media.

The meeting which was chaired by the Resident Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for Bauchi State, Ibrahim Abdullahi, had in attendance heads of other security agencies in the state, including the military, DSS, NSCDC, NDLEA among others as well as media practitioners.

He promised that the Police will work with other security agencies to ensure that effective security was provided for all the stakeholders before, during and after the by-election.

According to him, “Our commitment is to have a peaceful by-election. We are willing to safeguard the lives and property of the citizens and work to ensure that there is a synergy between the police and all sisters’ agencies for a peaceful bye-election.”

He, therefore, appealed for the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure that Bauchi was set as a yardstick for the peaceful conduct of future elections in the country.

Ahmed Illiyasu further appealed to all the stakeholders to ensure that rules regarding the Electoral Act were properly followed to aid the security agencies to conduct a peaceful election adding that all the stockholders must work together with the security agencies to ensure free and fair elections.

Speaking earlier, the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Sanusi Lemu, said the meeting was a follow up of two previous ones held at INEC office in Bauchi.

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According to Sanusi Lemu, the meeting convened by the police was to galvanise the support of all stakeholders to ensure a hitch-free election.

He said that it was also to deliberate and assure stakeholders of a level playing ground for all political parties by the police before, during and after the bye-election.

Also, the INEC Resident Commissioner in the state, Ibrahim Abdullahi charged all political parties to conduct their activities within the confines of the law, especially the Electoral Act.

He appealed to leaders of political parties in the state to control their supporters to ensure that the provision of Act was
observed.

Ibrahim Abdullahi enjoined to leaders of political parties to ensure that their representatives report on time for the election and called on the police and security agencies to provide adequate protection for movement of staff and materials by INEC officials for
the by-election.

“Most of the delays in starting elections on time is caused by the coming late of representatives of political parties. The polling officials cannot leave for the exercise without police escort so it is important for us to achieve success if political parties’ representatives and security agents must be present on time and provide escort,” he appealed.

Meanwhile, the State Police Command has assured the general public that it has put in place adequate security measures for the peaceful conduct of the Senatorial by-election slated for tomorrow, Saturday 11th August 2018 across the seven affected Local Government Areas in the State.

The Command in a press statement signed and issued by the PPRO, DSP Kamal Datti Abubakar equally stated that after due consultations with all the relevant stakeholders superintending over the election, it has placed the restriction orders in the affected Local Government Areas.

It stated that there will be a total restriction of movement of persons and vehicles between the hours of 12 midnight on Friday, 10th August 2018 and 8:00 PM on Saturday 11th August, 2018, except personnel on essential duties who must carry their valid identification cards while only registered Voters should be at their various polling units and must keep a distance of at least 300 meters away from the polling unit after voting in accordance with Electoral Act.

The Command further emphasize that important personalities and politicians are barred from going to any polling unit with their security details just as they are also warned to desist from moving from one place to another on the Election Day, as provided under the Electoral Act adding that the Police and other Security Agencies will be patrolling to ensure strict compliance to the orders as the Command is well prepared to deal decisively with anyone bent on causing the breach of peace before, during and after the election.

“To that effect, the Command has deployed adequate number of Policemen and other security agents to all the polling units, collation centres and flashpoints. Finally, the Command, appeals for the continued support and cooperation of the members of the Public in this regard. As this is intended to provide a conducive atmosphere for the conduct of a free, fair, and violence-free election,” the release further contains.