The police in Kogi State have warned the governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Murtala Ajaka, and his campaign organisation to leave the police out of any political controversy.
  
In a statement, yesterday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP William Ovye-Ayah, admonished the party to focus on issue-based campaigns, instead of resorting to cheap blackmail, bullying and arm-twisting for political sympathy from the public.
  
The statement reads: “Attention of the Kogi State Police Command has been drawn to a fake, incendiary, perfidious, malicious and misleading allegation by one Faruk Adejoh-Audu, Director Communications, Murtala Ajaka Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation, that the Commissioner of Police, Bethrand Onuoha, plans to attack Ajaka’s supporters in Kogi.
  
“The command wishes to categorically state that the statement is not only the figment of the imagination of Adejoh-Audu and his political candidate, Yakubu Ajaka, who has mastered the art of political gimmickry and brigandage, but totally false, malicious, pretentious and highly mischievous.” 

MEANWHILE, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police have assured Kogi people of a peaceful and credible election. Ovye-Aya and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Gabriel Longpet gave the assurance during a workshop organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) for 26 journalists in Abuja.
  
According to Longpet, the commission has made adequate preparations to consolidate on the February 25 and March 18, 2023 polls to ensure that the November 11 governorship election is peaceful, hitch free, fair and credible.
  
“We hope to ensure that all results of the governorship election in the 3,508 polling units in 239 wards across the state are transmitted electronically to do away with any attempt at tampering with manual results on transfer to collation centres.
  
“We are in synergy with all stakeholders, including security operatives, civil society organisations (CSOs) and the media to ensure that we get it right come November 11,” he said.
  
Ovye-Aya, on his part, said the police were prepared to ensure tight security during the Kogi election to checkmate activities of criminal elements from disrupting the process.