Police in Delta cautions against violence in council poll
As the Delta State council election draws nearer, Commissioner of Police (CP) in the state, Ari Muhammed Ali, yesterday, cautioned contestants against violence, insisting that the command was prepared to ensure a free, fair and credible poll.
The Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) has fixed the election for Saturday, March 6, 2021 in the 25 council areas of the state.
He assured residents that the state Police Command was ready ensure security of life and property by deploying its officers to all polling units and some speculated hot spots to maintain peace before, during and after the election.
Ali assured members of the public that all electoral materials and officials engaged for the exercise had been secured and appealed to the contestants to caution their supporters to restrain themselves from causing chaos, as the police would not tolerate violence.
He also warned police aides or security agents against escorting their principals or very important personality (VIPs) to polling units during the elections, noting that any security aide that violated the directive would be arrested and prosecuted.
He said the police personnel that would be deployed for the elections would carry out their duties in a coordinated and professional manner.
Meanwhile, a coalition of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Delta State has raised the alarm over what it described as plan to select council chairmen and councilors in the forthcoming election on Saturday.
In a statement issued by Head, Advocacy, Delta State Civil Society Organisations for Good Governance and Credible Elections on behalf of the CSOs in the state, Comrade Israel Arigbe, the coalition accused former Commissioner of Police, Mike Ogbodu-led electoral body of playing the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) card.
He said in the history of local government elections in the state, CSOs had never been excluded from observation and monitoring of elections, like in the forthcoming exercise.
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