The Bauchi State Police Command has assured residents of air-tight security before, during and after the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the State.

The Police Public Relations Officer in in the State, SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakili gave the assurance in an interview with Voice of Nigeria Correspondent in Bauchi State, North East Nigeria.

SP Wakili hinted that in line with the directive of the inspector General of Police, the personnel of the Command have been deployed to strategic places across the 20 local government areas to arrest any suspected criminal activities that would affect the peaceful conduct of the poll in the State..

Mr Wakili added that amongst the deployed personnel are personnel from Armed squad, Antivandal unit, Disaster Management and Medical unit, Intelligence unit, Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Explosives Unit (CBRNE).

The Bauchi State Police image maker further explained that these officers are to man strategic places like the INEC offices, polling units and collation centres amongst others; providing security for INEC materials, INEC Ad-hoc Staff and the environment.

The Bauchi Police PPPRO said the deployment was in conformation to the affirmations and directives of the Inspector General of Police Baba Alkali, to create a secure environment for the successful conduct of the 2023 general elections.

SP Wakili assured the residents of the
Police’s readiness for the election, adding that diligence, professionalism and being apolitical is the standard.

He also stated that the officers and men of the Command have undergone several trainings on the election operational guidelines as provided by the electoral Act 2022 and the Force Standard Operational Procedures (SOP).

He noted that the Personnel Special Forces, in joint operation with other sister agencies will also be on standby incase of an emergency.

Wakili therefore called on stakeholders and the general public to do their part in ensuring a free, fair safe, peaceful and credible election.

He equally charged everyone to shun violence or any action with the potential of disrupting any of the electoral process, as anyone caught causing mayhem will be made to face the wrath of the law.

N.O

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Bauchi State, North East Nigeria says all arrangements have been concluded ahead of the conduct of the Saturday’s 25th February 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections in the State.

The Director, Voters Education of the Commission in the State, Mr Adamu Gujungu stated this while fielding questions from Voice of Nigeria in Bauchi State.

Mr Gujungu revealed that all sensitive and non-sensitive materials have been distributed to all the nooks and crannies of the twenty local government area of the State.

Speaking in this interview with Voice of Nigeria’s Correspondent, Hudu Yakubu, Mr Gujungu assured the electorates of the commission’s determination to conduct a hitch free and credible exercise in the State and the country at large that would be generally accepted by all parties and Nigerians.

Mr Gujungu revealed that all INEC and Ad-hoc Staff who were fully mobilized and trained by the commission to participate in the Conduct of the elections were all deployed across the twenty local government of the State.

The Director further explained that, the commission has also updated the voter register in the State and all the states of the Federation to give room to first time voters who have reached eighteen years of age as stipulated by law before one can vote.

Reacting on whether the new cashless CBN policy in any way affected the commission preparedness, Gujungu said preparation have already reached advanced stage and he didn’t foresee any challenges ahead of the Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections in Bauchi State.

He enjoined the electorates to come out enmass and discharge their civil responsibility as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution without any fear of intimation by hoodlums or thugs before, during and after casting their vote.

While assuring electorates that the Commission is fully prepared for the elections, he further appealed that they should conduct themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner while on queues to cast their vote.

N.O

Nigerians have been called upon to shun violence and embrace peace before, during and after the 2023 General Election in Nigeria.

The Commissioner of Religious Affairs in Zamfara State Northwest Nigeria, and Chief Imam of Muslim Foundation Government Reserve Area, GRA, Gusau the State capital, Sheikh Dr. Tukur Sani Jangebe made the call while also urging Nigerians to vote for credible candidates during the elections.

Dr. Jangebe also called on the political class not to stir up the polity before, during and after the 2023 General Election in the country.

The Commissioner further said in every election there losers and winners and therefore the losers should embrace defeat and should not take the law into their hands.

The religious leaders reiterated that there was need for peaceful coexistence among Nigerians and they should not allow politics to divide them.

N.O

Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC), Monday Udoh-Tom has said that, casting of votes would begin by 8am in all 5,863 polling units of the 25 local government areas of Delta state.

Mr. Udoh- Tom disclosed this after the distribution of election materials at the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) headquarters in Asaba, the Delta State Capital, Southern Nigeria.

According to him, “we have distributed all the electoral sensitive materials to all the 25 local government areas of the state. Presidential and Senatorial ballot papers were received from Central Bank Of Nigeria, (CBN) yesterday while that of House of Representatives came in today.”

He further expressed optimism that the voting exercise would be rancor free, noting that “sensitisation and education had been done earlier before now, so that nobody would want to risk his or her life for no just cause ”.

Reacting to the security architecture, he reiterated that the security personnel are fully on ground to maintain law and order, adding that the 2023 general election would be judged as the freest and the most peaceful in the history of Delta State.

Mr. Udoh-Tom said that the total number of registered voters were 3,221,697.

In the same vein, a security personnel attached to Delta State, INEC, Ibrahim Garba, has assured electorates that there is no cause for alarm as far as security in the state is concerned.

He affirmed that security is tight and the service chief, Major Gen. Lucky Irabor has instructed that any miscreant should be dealt with.

In another development, a resident of Asaba, Delta State, Precious Gwen told Voice of Nigeria of her readiness to vote.

She said, “I am seriously waiting to vote and I pray that the candidate I vote for wins ,”

N.O

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in Oyo State has expressed its readiness and complete confidence in the voting exercise for the Presidential and National Assembly election holding on Saturday.

The INEC Electoral Officer, EO in Igbeti, Olorunsogo Local Government Area, LGA of Oke-Ogun Zone, in the Oyo North Senatorial District, Ebenezer Akoledowo,  made this known to Voice of Nigeria while asserting that the environment had been peaceful and everything was ready for Saturday’s election.

Akoledowo affirmed that the Commission was confident of the success of the exercise as there had not been any challenge so far because sensitive materials had been made available at the right time, early enough for the exercise to take off and there were adequate materials on the ground.

The EO stated that the ad-hoc staff members were getting set to move to the Registration Area Centers, RACs across the LGA where a briefing and refresher training would be conducted for them by their supervisors.

“Majority of them are Muslims and they had to go for Jumaat prayers, if not we would have tidied up before now. Most of our RAC centers are very close to the polling units, so they’ll easily get to their RAC centers and we’ll start the briefing and refresher training for them so that by 12am, we’ll allow them to go and relax.”

Akoledowo, who said the election would commence by 8:30am local time, disclosed that voting would be done concurrently with accreditation.

He noted: “That is why it is called Continuous Accreditation Voting System (CAVS). You accredit, take your ballot paper, you vote and you go. If you like, you can find a place to stay or you can go and come back later for the votes to be counted. Voting will end around 2:30pm depending on the crowd.”

The EO further said the Commission had no problem with the number of personnel or ad-hoc staff in the Local Government Areas, as there were more than enough.

Confidence Okwuchi

Katsina State government, North-West Nigeria says residents have no reason to be apprehensive about coming out to vote in Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Special Adviser to the State Governor on Security Matters, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed, who made the declaration in Katsina, told Voice of Nigeria that adequate measures have been taken ahead of the polls, to ensure a smooth exercise.

Ahmed explained that the State has adopted a system called Community Networking, which has helped in gathering intelligence, through a monitoring mechanism, thus aiding security agencies to nip any problem in the bud.

“Sometimes the way issues are being reported, goes beyond the ordinary. But in terms of being proactive, we have taken adequate measures in liaison with relevant security agencies.

“In fact we have gone beyond that. We are doing what is called community networking, bearing in mind that the security agencies do not go everywhere. We have this community arrangement through the traditional institutions in which the State government has domesticated security with a step down measure through a three tier security structure that will start from the village to the ward and district levels.

“Through that, we have information collection and monitoring mechanisms that help the security agencies to be more proactive rather than reactive. So, as far as we are concerned, we will not rest on our oars until we ensure that the elections come and go peacefully,” he said.

Currency Redesign
The Special Adviser on Security further told Voice of Nigeria that the currency redesign policy has helped address security challenges in the State and citizens of the State are gradually adjusting to reality.

He said: “One good thing about this policy is the apprehension created by people is more of a myth than reality and as far as we are concerned in Katsina, people are now adjusting to reality.

“Since it is something that is accepted globally, I think when you condition yourself to adapt to reality, I don’t think it will be an impediment. So far so good in Katsina, people are getting accustomed to it and as the situation improves, I’m sure the Central Bank will address the shortfalls and gaps and that will help us to stabilize.

“The rate of kidnapping for ransom has dropped, to the glory of God, crime and criminality has dropped. As for political thugs, you don’t have cash to give them likewise, drug addicts, no cash to give them. So, the politicians that used to take advantage of political thugs to go and disrupt the process can no longer do so. Therefore, the cashless policy will stabilize the polity.”

N.O