Bayelsa poll: INEC holds critical stakeholders meeting
…police to deploy 27,000 personnel
By Amos Okioma
As parts of its mandate towards the Bayelsa state November 11 off circle Governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission recently organized a critical stakeholders meeting in Yenagoa.
Those invited were, the clergy, political party chieftains,media,Civil society organizations, National orientation agency, the police and traditional rulers.
Speaking in his opening remarks, the Bayelsa Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Obo Effanga reiterated the importance of the meeting with critical stakeholders ahead of the November 11, 2023 Governorship election in Bayelsa state, stating that the commission was poised to conduct a free, fair and credible election and to achieve that it becomes imperative for the commission to always embark on meetings such as this to inform the public and political class to know their functions and roles during the elections to avoid problems.
He disclosed that the meeting was among other things to equip participants on the rules and regulations, as well as various training programmes for staff and ad hock staff and various engagements with political parties and informed that the portal for the recruitment have closed.
He also disclosed that despite the negative and false misinformation by a section of the media , the Bayelsa state Governorship will be conducted in line with INEC rules and regulations, and enjoined Bayelsans to go out with their Permanent Voters cards at stipulated time and designated polling units and perform their civic duties of choosing their governor . ” In off circle elections, from 2020 the process has not changed , this is the procedure and we will not deviate from using BVAs in Bayelsa state”
“This Saturday there will be mock accreditations at selected polling units across the three Senatorial districts” he said.
Also speaking the Bayelsa state Commissioner of police CP Tulani Alausa disclosed that the command is to deploy 27,000 personnel for the Bayelsa state off circle Governorship election and that the number will be supported by other sister security agencies, such as Nigerian Security and Civil Defence corps, the Nigerian Army, the Air force with the aim of securing participants and officials during and after the elections.
“Though l can’t divulge the strategies we have planned, but be assured that the police is poised to provide adequate security to all and sundry”
He stressed that command is ready to provide enough security to areas considered as volatile areas, flash points.
” Don’t go to bed and sleep, be at alert, election should not be do or die affairs, there must be winners and losers, but shun thuggery and ballot box snatching .Let the people decide who should governs them”
In his goodwill message, the chairman of Bayelsa state traditional rulers council, HRM King Dakolo Bubaraye, Agada iv, the Ibenanaowei of Ekpatiama Kingdom reiterated their neutrality as all the participants are their subjects, but will continue to advise them to play by the rules and regulations guiding the electoral process.
He was represented by HRM king Solomon Idimigi, the Ibenanaowei of Koluama Kingdom who sued for peace during and after the election, stressing that Bayelsa is the only homogenous Ijaw state with a common identity, hence peace is paramount and vowed to speak to their subjects not to take the election as do or die affairs and allow peace to reign.
He also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to do their job without intimidation and shun been influenced.
“This is the only homogenous Ijaw state in the country, we need peace”.
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In the same vein, the state Director of the National Orientation Agency, Patricia Madumezia said as stakeholders there should be no loss of lives during the election as the agency lend it’s voice towards a peaceful election devoid of thuggery , violence, intimidation, ballot box snatching, vote buying which are anti democratic.
In an interview with journalists, the chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, ( PDP) Mr Solomon Aguana applauded INEC for the critical stakeholders, considering it as apt and timely as he would take the message of peaceful election devoid of rancour and other anti democratic tendencies to his party, while Alambo Nengi James ,OON, advocated for insurance cover for adhoc – staff and security personnel drafted to Bayelsa state considering it’s riverine nature.
