Election: Ondo Police warns residents against violence

THE Ondo State Police Command on Thursday warned residents of the State against any act of violence that might disrupt the conduct of House of Assembly election for Saturday.

The state Commissioner of Police, Undie Adie, who gave this warning during a stakeholder meeting in Akure, Ondo State, said the police in the State would not tolerate any act that would hinder the smooth conduct of the election.

Adie disclosed that movement would be highly restricted from 6 am to 6 pm in order to assist security agencies in the State to effectively prevent hoodlums and criminally-minded elements from hijacking and disrupting the electoral process.

He maintained that security agencies would not tolerate any act that would hinder the smooth conduct of the election and urged political, religious community leaders and other stakeholders to impress it on their followers and supporters not to flout the restriction order.

He warned that “it will be illegal for any unauthorised persons to carry firearms, don’t challenge the law by carrying arms illegally. just come out and vote peacefully and go back to your home.

“I am assuring you that we have put in place adequate security for the election and the election will be rancour and violence-free. The security in the State will not hesitate to bring to bear the full weight of the law on anyone who engages in any crime before, during and after the election.”

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Responding on behalf of the stakeholders, the Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Chief Clement Faboyede, commended the efforts of the security agencies in the State in the National Assembly and Presidential election.

He stated that the State remains one of the peaceful states in the country but noted that the atmosphere has changed immediately after the conduct of the last Presidential and National Assembly election.

He said: “I want to beg our peace-loving governor who has a track record of peace in the state since he resumed office. No harassment of opposition in the State, what we believe here in this State is political brotherhood andIi am assuring you that the peace in this will be sustained.”

Other stakeholders also promised to embrace peace before, during and after the election, saying the election would not be seen as a do or die affair.

Meanwhile, the Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, has also cautioned politicians in the State against instigating causing violence before, during and after the State House of Assembly elections scheduled for March 9, 2019.

Oba Aladetoyinbo who stated this while speaking during a meeting initiated by the palace to ensure a rancour-free election in the State said development thrives in an atmosphere of peace while God enthrones whoever he wants.

He advised politicians especially from Akure to ensure that they play game by the rules and threatened to invoke the spirit of the ancestors on anyone that is bent on disrupting the existing peace in the land.

The monarch said: “I have no doubt that the Governor is a peace-loving man. As the Chief Security Officer of the State, he will not want anything to disturb the existing peace in the State.

“I am calling on all politicians to play the game by the rules. We are one and we should not allow politics to divide us.”

The Deji in-Council unanimously called on the security agencies to be alive in their responsibilities of fishing out potential criminals and to also ensure that there is adequate security coverage during the election.