• Military, Police beef up security
• Bayelsa leaders identify security flashpoints as coalition warns against rigging
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, who gave the warning, yesterday, assured residents of the three states of the preparedness of the security agencies to ensure peaceful elections.
He warned against violence by political actors and charged security agencies to uphold professional code of ethics in the discharge of their responsibility.
The NSA assured that in line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, security agencies had made adequate preparations to ensure safe, secure and transparent elections.
According to a statement made available by the Head, Strategic Communication Office of the NSA, Zakaria Mijinyawa, the Federal Government has mobilised all the necessary resources to ensure the success of the elections.
The statement said: “The NSA, who is the Co-Chair of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, charged all security, intelligence and law enforcement officers deployed on election security duties to conduct themselves creditably.
“The NSA further stated that the Federal Government has mobilised all the required resources for the smooth conduct of the elections and called on all election managers to adhere strictly to the instruction given by the President. Ribadu further warns that a monitoring system has been established with monitors deployed to the field to collect any evidence of violence and irregularities.
Observation by The Guardian showed that over one million security officials drawn from various security agencies have been mobilised for the elections in the three states.
No fewer than 5,409,438 persons registered for the elections in the three states.
A breakdown of the figure shows that Bayelsa registered 105,862; Imo 2,419,992 and Kogi 1,932,654 persons.
Of the figure, however, there are fears that not more than 30 percent might vote in today’s elections due to apathy occasioned by loss of confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and insecurity.
In a bid to boost confidence in security, no fewer than 40,000 security officials made up of police, soldiers, Civil Defence and DSS have mounted vigilance in strategic places in the three states.
The police mobilised 25,505 officials while Civil Defence deployed 4870. That of army and the DSS was not known.
In Imo state for instance, it was learnt that each of the four states of Enugu, Anambra, Abia and Ebonyi contributed 2,000 police officials to the election in the state.
The Guardian also observed high presence of military personnel around the state’s capital as citizens went about their daily activities.
Speaking on the security situation in the state ahead of the election, Head, Voter Education and Publicity, Ben-Opara Emmanuella, told journalists that though INEC alone doesn’t handle security, there had been assurances from head of security agencies that there was no cause for alarm.
She said the commission had engaged members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Election Security (ICCES) in the last three months to ensure that INEC officials, materials and voters were adequately secured.
She said: “In this state, we have some flashpoint areas, but again, INEC doesn’t actually on its own handle security. INEC is part of ICCES that handle security issues which police is the lead agency.
“We have engaged them about 20 times in different meetings within the last three months and for the purposes of the insecurity in the east, the South East Joint Security Committee has its headquarters here in Imo. About 10 or to five poles away from here, the head of the Joint Task Force is the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division is here and he has continued to assure us of adequate security.
“The Deputy Inspector General of Police is also here with us to ensure that we have a successful and hitch-free election. So for security, it is their duty and they have continued to assure us that there won’t be problems and we have taken the assurance to be as good as real too.”
In Bayelsa State, it was a calm atmosphere in most parts of the state, especially Yenagoa, the state capital, as many eligible voters, government officials at all levels and party supporters and chieftains relocated to their hometowns and places of registration in the interior to enable them to cast their votes today.
Aside the constant, but not unusual, blaring of sirens by VIPs and whosoever is entitled or can afford such, uneasy calm pervaded the capital city.
Just like on Thursday, there was a rally, yesterday, in town across major roads by groups calling for peaceful election, urging the Federal Government, the Police, military and other security agencies and their personnel to ensure peace and order during and after voting and to maintain neutrality in the exercise.
Bearing placards with different inscriptions, all calling for a peaceful conduct during and after the election, the people, during the walk round Yenagoa, seemed determined to see a violence-free election. One of them, Mary Ebitimi, charged Bayelsans, especially politicians, to eschew bitterness and violence.
“We want this election to be free and fair. We are all brothers and sisters, and we should not kill ourselves because of election. Politicians, particularly the contestants, should call their supporters to order,” she said, echoing the position of others in the rally.
Palpable fear and tension over possible outbreak of violence and intimidation remained among the residents of the state, especially those in the interior, even as major activities move to the local governments.
Pundits who spoke with The Guardian on the preparations for the elections said the only way to ensure violence-free elections today is for the security agencies to be genuinely neutral and non-partisan.
“Although there are unique security threats in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states, a proper and effective security plan will save the day on November 11.
“Additionally, the military should deploy more resources to Imo as the threat over there should be overwhelmed. For Kogi State, the military need to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons before election day.”
Defence analyst and security expert, Chidi Omeje said: “My words to the security agencies that will be involved in the elections are that they should prove Nigerians wrong by not being partisan. They should remember that their job is to ensure the security and integrity of the elections.
“They must never be seen to be pandering to the whims and caprices of any political camp. They must be neutral and above all determined to ensure that fair play is the order of the day. They should be bold and patriotic enough to rein in any person or group intent on bringing the electoral process to disrepute.
Yesterday, some concerned political leaders in Bayelsa State drew the attention of security agencies to some security flashpoints in the state where violence and mayhem could be perpetrated during the polls.
The leaders, who spoke under the umbrella of “CellHub”, an election management team, commended the performance of the security agencies so far.
“However, as part of our ongoing collaboration to enhance the electoral process, CellHub urges the security agencies to concentrate their efforts in identified flashpoints within certain local government areas. These areas include Brass, Nembe, Ogbia, Southern Ijaw and Yenagoa local government areas.
Meanwhile, despite the high collection rate of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the governorship polls, Yiaga Africa has projected a low voter turnout in the three states owing to the spate of pre-election violence.
A member, Working Group of Watching The Vote, YIAGA Africa, Ezenwa Nwagwu, in a pre-election briefing yesterday in Abuja, further blamed the expected low voter turnout on a deep sense of citizens’ distrust, apparent fear of intimidation, voter fatigue and loss of faith in elections as a means to achieving democratic leadership.
Nwagwu advocated for an eleventh hour confidence-building voter education to improve voter turnout.
He lamented the increasingly volatile pre-election environment with the spates of attacks in Oguta, Orlu, Orsu, Oru East, Oru West, Okigwe, and Ehime/Mbano Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Imo State and the prevalence of alleged election motivated violence during campaigns in Kogi and Bayelsa states.
“Undoubtedly, the insecurity will gravely impact the quality of the election in those affected areas if not checked.
On its part, the Coalition of Pro-Democracy Groups for a Better Nigeria, otherwise called the June 12 Veteran Activists, yesterday, warned against election violence.
“In the same spirit, we must all make sure that our eyes are everywhere, before, during and immediately after the next Saturday’s gubernatorial elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.
