- Tinubu Calls For Violence-Free Governorship Election
- Police Deploy 34,000 Officers For Guber Poll
- We Will Not Disappoint Ondo People, INEC Assures
It is D-day as political heavyweights go to battle in the Ondo State governorship election to elect a new governor to pilot the affairs of the state for the next four years.
The electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared 18 candidates for the poll.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is vying for his first election after he replaced the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu who died last year. His major opponent is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Agboola Ajayi who was also deputised Akeredolu.
Ahead of the polls, President Bola Tinubu called on the people of the state to ensure a violence-free governorship election in the state popularly called The Sunshine State.
Presidential Spokesman Bayo Onanuga disclosed in a Friday statement that the president has directed that all stakeholders uphold peace and decorum at the polls.
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“As Ondo State prepares for its off-cycle governorship election, President Bola Tinubu urges all political stakeholders and the electorate to uphold peace and decorum and fulfil their civic responsibilities without fear before or after the elections,”
“President Tinubu anticipates a democratic process in the state that will genuinely reflect the people’s will and power to freely choose their leaders.”
“He also acknowledges the deployment of security men to maintain law and order. He appreciates the assurances from the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff that the personnel will act professionally and adhere to the provisions of the Electoral Act to ensure a credible electoral process.
“President Tinubu reminds all political stakeholders, especially the candidates, that the people bestow the privilege to govern, and this right must be respected and not undermined.
“He emphasises that it is in the best interest of all Nigerians to ensure a free and fair election and consolidate our over 25 years of democratic governance.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced the deployment of 34,000 officers in Ondo ahead of Saturday’s off-cycle governorship election.
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Abiodun Alabi, the deputy inspector-general of police (DIG) coordinating election security, spoke on Friday during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.
Alabi said adequate measures are in place to stop the infiltration of thugs during the poll, noting that operatives will be stationed at the 3,933 polling units in all LGAs of the state.
“We just want to dominate the security space, to let people know that we cannot allow anybody to truncate the electoral process,” he said.
“We have intelligence that some people are trying to organise some militias to truncate the electoral process.”
The police chief said tactical units, an aerial surveillance team, and marine police, among others, would be deployed in the state.
Alabi noted that there would be restrictions on movement on the election day from 6am to 6pm, adding that the police have received intelligence about plans to sabotage the poll.
He assured voters of their safety, noting that the police have done adequate threat analysis to ensure a peaceful election.
“No movement; we are going to restrict everybody’s movement. We don’t want anybody to infiltrate the state,” he added.
“It is part of the intelligence we have had that some people are trying to bring in thugs, hoodlums from the neighbouring states of Edo and Osun to come and cause problems here. We are not going to allow that to happen.
“We are working hand in hand with the military, who will take care of our borders. We are not going to allow anybody to infiltrate the state.”
In a related development, INEC on Friday expressed its readiness for the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State while assuring the state’s residents that it will not disappoint.
INEC National Commissioner Supervising Ondo, Ogun and Osun States, Professor Kunle Ajayi, disclosed this on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme in Akure.
“We have done our own work, we are proud of what we have done and we will not disappoint the people of Ondo State,” he said.
