Police read riot act to politicians over Ekiti re-run poll

Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti

The Ekiti state police Command has issued a strong warning to politicians to refrain from acts that would destabilize the state during Saturday’s state assembly supplementary poll.

The election in Ekiti East Constituency 1 was suspended by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on March 9, when the governorship and house of assembly elections were conducted across the states of the federation.

The electoral battle is between Mr. Juwa Adegbuyi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the present occupier of the seat and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Ojo-Ade Fajana.

Commissioner of Police, Ekiti state, Mr. Asuquo Amba, who issued the warning in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, said his men and officers were battle ready to provide adequate security during the election.

The statement signed by command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, urged the electorate to troop out en masse to cast their votes in the five polling units where the election will hold.

Amba said the police won’t shirk in its responsibility of providing adequate security during the election, adding that “we use this medium to inform the good people of Ekiti state that the command is well prepared for the conduct of supplementary election as announced by INEC which will hold on Saturday.

“In view of the security arrangements for the supplementary election, we reiterate the police commitment towards a more peaceful conduct of election in Ekiti East Constituency 1.

“The police as the lead agency for internal security management and maintenance of law and order will at all time, perform their constitutional and statutory duties.

“To this end, the command implored the good people of Ekiti East Constituency 1 to be law -abiding and resist to be used to cause disturbances of the public peace and violation of electoral laws on the election day.”