Group decries redeployment of police officers, okay INEC’s preparations

The Election Analysis Centre (EAC) of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has decried recent redeployments of police officers across the country.

The centre also faulted the directive issued by president Muhammadu Buhari against ballot box snatchers.

Speaking at a media briefing yesterday in Abuja, its Chairman, Professor Adele Jinadu and a member, Olajumoke Haliso, stated that the deployment might send wrong signals and affect the credibility of the elections.

They argued that the redeployments have been problematic, as they were announced on February 9, 2019, too close to the general elections.

“Less than two weeks after the nationwide deployments, it is unfortunate to note that the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police (CP), Bashir Makama has been replaced by Sokoto State CP, Ibrahim Kaoje.

“Also, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Balarabe Sule, previously deployed to Zamfara State has been redeployed to Kano for the election. He replaced DCP Bukar Made-Up, who served for only one week. Sule was former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje,” they said.

They, therefore, urged the police to refrain from re-deploying their personnel a few days into the elections.

The CDD, however, expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the general elections.

Jinadu told The Guardian in Abuja that its position was based on verifiable information from thousands of CDD observers across the country.

But it charged INEC to address concerns that sensitive materials deployed to various parts of the country ahead of tomorrow’s elections were secured.

Meanwhile, a civil society organisation, YIAGA AFRICA yesterday said Nigeria faces potential electoral conflicts if the country does not exercise caution during and after the polls.

A former commissioner for political affairs of the African Union (AU) and co chair of YIAGA, Dr. Aisha Abdulahi stated this in Abuja yesterday.

She noted that there has been a preponderance of hate speech, fake news and misinformation in the country following the postponement of the general elections.

This, she said, portends threat to peace and national security, and urged electoral stakeholders, especially candidates and leaders of political parties to refrain from heating up the polity.

Abdullahi charged security agencies to play their roles within constitutional limits during the elections, saying citizens’ rights must be respected before, during and after the polls.