October 19, 2012 by Femi Makinde, Akure
Ahead
of Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State, the Inspector
General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, and the General Officer
Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major Gen. Mohammed Abubakar, have
warned troublemakers to stay away from the state.
The nation’s number one policeman issued
his warning on Thursday in Abuja, while speaking with State House
correspondents, after a meeting of the sub-committee on the funding of
the police reform programme.
Abubakar said, “The restriction is not
for the three days. It is from 6pm on Thursday because we want to ensure
that people do not take arms and ammunition (into the state), or import
people who ordinarily are not supposed to be in Ondo for the election.”
He said he had used his visit to the
state on Wednesday to study the terrain and instruct his men on how to
ensure a hitch-free election.
The GOC issued his own warning shortly
after arriving at the 32 Artillery Brigade Akure, on Thursday, to
address the soldiers to be deployed in the state for the poll.
The GOC said, “No movement on that day
except for those on essential duties and those on election duty. No
hunting on election day.
“I am happy that the IG has said that
there will be no fishing during the poll. I don’t want to hear that I am
going to the bush to hunt. Anybody with arms must be arrested. If he
resists arrest, shoot him; I give you the order.”
The GOC said that movement would be
restricted from 6am to 6pm but added that motorists passing through the
state to other parts of the country would only be allowed passage after
they had proved that they were not going to the state.
The GOC said he had received a petition
from a political party (he declined to name the party) that one of the
contestants had bribed some soldiers to allow his party to rig during
the election.
He promised that he would not be a party
to such an arrangement and warned that any soldier found colluding with
any party would be severely dealt with.
He said, “No amount of money they
promised you would turn you into MKO Abiola or (Aliko) Dangote. These
people worked for their money. So be satisfied with what the Nigerian
Army is paying you.
“Our purpose of being here in Ondo State
is to support INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission), the
police and the people of the state to ensure a peaceful election. You
and I will not vote even if you have registered. Your work is to enable
INEC to conduct a peaceful poll and to allow others to vote without
fear.
“The last election in Edo State was
conducted under 2 Division and it was peaceful. I want Ondo State
election to be peaceful also. You won’t stay at the polling booths but
you will provide security for the people.”
Major General Abubakar assured the
people of the state that the army had mapped out strategies to identify
fake soldiers who might want to infiltrate the genuine troops deployed
by Nigerian Army.
He said there would be a dress code for the troops, adding that it would be easy for real soldiers to identify fake ones.
The GOC declined to give the number of
soldiers to be deployed, but he said that soldiers had been moved in
from several formations to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and
order.
Meanwhile, INEC, on Thursday, began the
distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive election materials to be
used in the conduct of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The materials distributed amidst heavy
security were to be used for the election in Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local
Government Area of the state.
The materials had been kept in the
custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Akure since they were brought
into the state last week.Representatives of various political parties
were present during the distribution of the materials and they expressed
satisfaction with the condition in which they met them.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner for
the state, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, said that the materials were being taken to
the Forward Operational Base of the Nigerian Navy at Igbokoda, the
headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area.
He said that adequate security had been put in place to safeguard the election materials.
The early distribution of the materials,
according to Orebiyi, is to ensure the efficient transfer of election
materials to the far-flung areas of the state.
Orebiyi said the collection of materials by INEC signified the commencement of the governorship election.
The INEC National Commissioner in charge
of the South-West, Prof. Lai Olurode, said the commission was ready to
conduct a better poll in Ondo State.
He assured that INEC would not be
partisan in the conduct of the poll and urged anyone with a complaint
against any official to submit such to the commission. He said the
materials distributed had been kept with the CBN.
SOURCE: The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper 19 October 2012.
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