AIG hosts governors, others over peaceful elections

ASSISTANT Inspector General (AIG) in charge of Zone 6 command of the Nigeria Police Force, Calabar, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin will today in Port Harcourt, Rivers State hold a workshop with major stakeholders to ensure peaceful, fair and credible elections.

The AIG Ogunshakin supervises Commissioners of Police in Akwa Ibom, Cross-River, Ebonyi and Rivers states.

In a telephone interview with The Guardian, he said Zone 6 Police Command was offering ‘a tonic’ for the electorates.

He said elections in the zone would be free, fair and devoid of any challenges and rancor.

He also said that the workshop would also serve as a platform for the relevant stakeholders to brainstorm on how to conduct successful general elections.

“It is also meant to avert any plans of undermining the elections by misguided and misinformed elements,” he stated.

On the choice of venue, which is Port Harcourt, he said: “ The city as choice of the workshop is central to all commands in the zone, especially now that city is recording few incidences of electoral violence.”

The workshop according to Ogunsakin, is the brainchild of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Suleiman Abba.

The IGP had given a marching order to the AIG’s urging them to conduct free, fair and violence-free elections in 2015.

Expected at the event are Governors Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, Liyel Imoke, (Cross River), Martins Elechi (Ebonyi) and Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers).

The Vice Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt, Professor Joseph Ajienka is the keynote speaker at the event.

Other Speakers are Professor Seth Accra Jaja and Chief Seinye Lulu Briggs.

Also expected are the Resident Electoral Commissioners, Service Chiefs within the zone, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and Senior Police Officers, leaders of political parties, traditional, youth and women leaders, corporate organizations and other stakeholders within the zone.

The police boss said that at the end of the workshop, it is expected that there would be an extraction of commitment from key stakeholders to eschew electoral violence.

“Also, it is expected that there will be zero or minimum rancour over political and electoral activities in all states that make up the zone,’ he added.