The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in collaboration with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, has held an emergency meeting with Governorship Candidates and Chairmen of Political Parties, towards a peaceful conduct of the Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Umar Ibrahim, who is also the Chairman of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, said the meeting became necessary to remind the stakeholders of the enormous responsibility they had in ensuring peaceful polls on Saturday.
Mr. Ibrahim reminded the Governorship Candidates and Chairmen of political parties to consider election as political and not war and that because of the huge investment they had made in the state, he believed none of them would be happy to see the state destroyed because of their individual ambition.
“I urge you to avoid making unguarded and inciting comments capable of overheating the polity and promoting disunity. You must remind your supporters that in an election, every voter has a right to make a choice and no one should be mistreated on account of his/her choice. This is what democracy entails,” Mr. Ibrahim, said.
He said the time to work at peace was now, thereby calling on the stakeholders to deliberately promote peace and not violence, love and not hate, patriotism and not anarchy.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Gombe State, pledged on behalf of INEC, to continue to remain ever prepared to conduct free, fair and credible elections and also in providing a level playing field for all political parties and their candidates.
He appreciated members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security for their support throughout the election period, urging them to “always remember that your ambition is not worth the blood of any citizen.”
It will be recalled that one month ago, political parties and governorship candidates in the state signed the Peace Accord towards peaceful conduct during the 2023 General Elections, but recent developments had heated up the polity, which necessitated the convening of the emergency meeting to forestall breakdown of law and order.
Participants at the meeting had questions for INEC and the security agencies on the elections on Saturday, such as the use of the Biometric Voter Authentication System, BVAS, provision of enough security to protect the lives of voters, as well as provide environment conducive enough for the peaceful conduct of the election, among others.
The Commissioner of Police, Gombe State Command, Mr. Oqua Etim, gave assurances for the adequate provisions for security in the state, stating that the dismantled Police Checkpoints would remain dismantled, but that adequate arrangements had been made to secure the state against any violence.
CP Etim said there would not be vehicular movement for anyone, hence people staying far from their polling unit should ensure they move closer to their units, to enable them cast their votes without any hitches.
Olusola Akintonde
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