Leading political parties in Adamawa state, including All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and others have opposed the decision of the State Police Command to impose a dusk to dawn curfew on the state. The curfew from Sunday, April 12, 2015, according to the command is aimed at forestalling violence after the state governorship House of Assembly election.
The state Commissioner of Police, Gabriel Adaji, made the announcement while briefing newsmen in his office on Friday in Yola preparatory to Saturday’s election.
The police commissioner said the curfew would begin from Sunday to Tuesday, April 14 between 6pm and 6am.
He explained that the measure was to ensure peaceful and orderly conduct of the governorship and state House of Assembly elections in the state.
“After the last presidential and National Assembly elections, we had some nasty and ugly experiences in the state, hence the present measures,” the CP said.
Adajie added that the ban of tricycles, wheel barrows, truck pushers and any other hawking materials were still in force, warning that the law would take its course on any person or group that violates the order.
The police boss commended the people of the state, especially politicians for their peaceful conduct and orderliness during the presidential and National Assembly elections.
But, the Publicity Secretary of the APC, Ahmed Lawal, said that the party did not see any reason for the declaration of a curfew in the state if the election is peaceful even as the Director General of the Campaign Organisation of PDM, Sunday Wugira, said that the party had yet to understand the rationale behind the imposition of the curfew.
Also, Secretary of the PDP in the state, A.T. Shehu, said the curfew is unwarranted, insisting that the police should have banned celebrations after the announcement of elections results instead of imposing a curfew on the state. [myad]
