Following the burning down of its office in Dekina by unidentified arsonists, ahead of tomorrow supplementary governorship election in 91 polling units of Kogi state by hoodlums, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has quickly moved its operational office to the Dekina Police Divisional Headquarters.
INEC, which has since delivered some sensitive electoral materials to the state, part of which were burnt along with its office in Dekina, insisted that election would be conducted across the 91 polling units tomorrow.
It gave assurance that election would be free, fair and peaceful even as it appealed to the people of the state to cooperate for the success of the poll.
Earlier in the day, some unidentified youths had stormed the Dekina office of the electoral body and burnt down the office and sensitive electoral materials which have already been sent to the office for distribution for tomorrow’s election.
Dekina local government has the highest number of polling units where the supplementary election would be held.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon E Arase, has placed an order restricting movements within the boundaries of Kogi and Bayelsa States where elections would be held tomorrow, with effect from 6.00am to 6.00pm on Saturday, 5thDecember, 2015.
For Kogi State supplementary election, the IGP directed intra-city restriction of vehicular movement, in areas where supplementary election will be conducted from 6.00am to 6.00pm on Saturday. However, persons on essential duties such as Ambulance service providers, INEC officials on-duty, security men, accredited election monitors/observers, accredited journalists, etc are not affected by this order.
While imploring the general public for their understanding and cooperation towards the enforcement of this order, the Force notes that the order is informed by the need to forestall plans by criminal elements to undermine the electoral process as gathered through intelligence reports.
The police boss advises travellers to take advantage of alternative routes to their destinations where necessary within the hours of this restriction of vehicular movement on Saturday 5th December, 2015, as Police, complemented by the military and other security agents on duty at strategic points will subject motorists and other travellers plying the affected routes to civil and meticulous security search.
The IGP, while assuring all law-abiding electorates of a secure and enabling environment to exercise their franchise, warns all security details to refrain from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election, as only security personnel specially assigned for election duties must be seen within and around the election designated places.
This was made public by the Acting ACP Olabisi Kolawole, the force public relations officer.
In a related development, Naij.com correspondent in Bayelsa reports that the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) has ordered the closure of water ways in Bayelsa by 5pm today ahead of Saturdays’ election.
It was gathered that as a result of the order, passengers are stranded at the water side of the state. [myad]
