2019: Bauchi CP pledges tight security as INEC reassures free, fair, credible election

Samuel Luka, Bauchi

With less than one week to the commencement of general elections, the security agencies in Bauchi State have assured the citizens of adequate security before, during and after the exercise. The Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Ali A. Janga who spoke on behalf of other security chiefs in the state said, “the police is ready to provide tight security during the conduct of the presidential and Governorship election billed for 16th of February and March 2nd 2019”. CP Ali stated this on Tuesday during a one day stakeholders meeting organised by INEC on the level of preparedness for the 2019 general election, held at the Bauchi INEC headquarters. According to him, “the police and other sister security agencies will give all political parties an enabling environment to thrive by allowing all eligible voters to go and cast their votes”. The police boss who further assured that nobody will be intimidated while carrying out his or her civic responsibilities urged party faithfuls to be law-abiding and steer clear from any conduct that could jeopardise the conduct of the election. While calling on contestants to talk to their supporters to shun violence, CP Ali warned that, “any person caught engaging in acts capable of constituting a breach of the public peace will be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.” “Also, restriction of movements will be in force. We will not allow any government official or leaders of political parties to monitor the election because we have the election observers to do that. When you cast your vote, go home and wait for the result”, he added. Similarly, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Independent National Electoral Commission in Bauchi State, Ibrahim Abdullahi has earlier in a welcome address said that no fewer than 33,972 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) are yet to be collected in the state. He said that as at January 10, a total number of 33,972 permanent voter cards were yet to be collected which according to him is about ninety percent of the total voter cards received for distribution in Bauchi state. REC Abdullahi said that the commission had recruited all the ad hoc staff needed to for the conduct of the election. He added that the recruitment was strictly based on the policies and guidelines of INEC. According to him, the commission has received all the required non-sensitive materials. The INEC Boss added that the last batch of the materials is being offloaded at the central bank in which representatives of political parties will witness the distribution of the election materials any moment from now. He appealed to political parties who have fielded candidates for various positions to comply with section 45 of the electoral act 2010 as amended. According to him, the section provides that, “each political party must notify the electoral officer of the local government in writing to appoint a polling agent for each polling unit and coalition centre in the local government for which it has a candidate” “The notice must state the name and address of the polling agents which will be given to the electoral body at least seven days before the date fixed for the election” He said Our correspondent reports that the meeting attracted stakeholders such as security agents, leaders of political parties, religious leaders, Civil Society Organisations and the media and some European election observers.