23,000 Policemen for Delta State Re- Run, Jonathan Leads Campaign for PDP's return

OVER 23,000 policemen are to be deployed for the Delta State gubernatorial rerun scheduled for Thursday.
Informed police sources disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that the team would be a combination of anti-riot and conventional policemen, who would be drafted to  all parts of the state.

The sources revealed that the Deputy Inspector General of Police “B” Operations, Audu Abubakar, left Abuja on Monday to coordinate security and assess the situation on the ground in Delta State.

According to the sources, “this election is very crucial, and we don’t want to take chances, as it’s a forerunner to the April elections and if we get it right, then, it means that all will be well. That is why the police are making sure that there are no mistakes.”

Sources added that apart from policemen from Delta State, more men would be drafted from neighbouring states, including anti-riot police squadrons.

It was gathered that the police want their presence in every area of Delta State to stop voters from being intimidated, and all roads leading into and out of the state will be blocked until after the election.

The sources revealed that the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, was  very much concerned about the success of the Delta State rerun and had put machinery in motion.

“He has made it a point to every policeman participating in the election that any person who rigs the election or foments trouble at the polling booths must be arrested and prosecuted,” the source added.

The rerun follows the nullification of the election of Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan by the Court of Appeal in Benin City last November.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan will today lead members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  across the country to a rally in Warri, ahead of Thursday’s governorship rerun in that state.

A statement by Dr Festus Okubor, the Media and Publicity Director, PDP Re-run Campaign Committee, in Asaba on Monday, stated that “the rally is designed to end the electioneering of PDP candidate in the election, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan.”

Thirteen political parties, including the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), whose candidate in the April 14, 2007 polls, Great Ogboru, challenged the outcome of the election at the court, would participate in the repeat poll.

Expected at the Warri rally, with President Jonathan leading, are the PDP national chairman, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo and National Working Committee (NWC) members.

The statement noted that leaders of the party across the country would join their counterparts in the South-South “to show the strength of our party and support for its candidate in the election”

It described the rally as “mother-of-all-rallies,” stressing that “PDP and Dr Uduaghan are fully set for the rerun  and are confident of victory.”

It indicated that “President Jonathan has been most supportive of the party in Delta in the rerun effort.”

Okubor also stated that “the NWC of the party, led by Dr Nwodo, has been unequivocal in its support for Dr Uduaghan’s candidacy and victory for the party in the Delta rerun.”

Security beefed up ahead Jonathan’s visit
In another development, security in Effurun and Warri in Delta State has been heightened in preparation for the visit of President Jonathan today.

Scores of security personnel, many in mufti and others in uniform, were seen in the streets of the cities keeping vigil on socio-economic activities of the people as well as Warri Stadium, venue of the rally.

Vehicles were searched at military and police checkpoints while suspicious people were frisked and asked questions about their movements. Hotels were also kept under surveillance by undercover security agents.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the unprecedented security arrangement was as a result of the spate of bombings across the country and considering the fact that it was Warri that first recorded such incident, during the Vanguard Media conference at the Government House Annex.

“We are taking all the necessary security measures to prevent a repeat of the Abuja incident in Warri. You know some desperate politicians might use that tactic to embarrass the president in his own region.

“We have cordoned off Warri Stadium since Sunday, when it was confirmed that the president is coming for the rally. No vehicle would be allowed near the venue. Undercover security agents are also on the ground to monitor movements from now till the president returns to Abuja,” a security source told the Nigerian Tribune.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Charles Muka, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), was said to be away on assignment with the state Commissioner of Police, apparently in connection with today’s visit of the president when the Nigerian Tribune tried to get his comments.

Meanwhile, INEC had said that 1.5 million voters were expected to exercise their franchise in the rerun.

It also disclosed that the election, which would be conducted with “updated” old voter register, would take place in 3,165 polling units across the state.

Although some political parties in the state had been pushing for a shift in the rerun date, giving the non-display of the voter register as reason for the agitation, INEC said that the date would not change.

It explained that the display of the register was not constitutionally obligatory on the commission in a rerun.

Also, INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, says the commission is adequately prepared for the conduct of a free, fair and credible governorship rerun in Delta.

Speaking at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja, on Monday, Jega said adequate logistics had been put in place for the exercise.

“Since the inauguration of the new commission, we have conducted by-elections, both state constituency elections, as well as at the senatorial level.

“This is the first time, as a new commission, that we will be conducting election at the gubernatorial level.

“So certainly the Delta re-run election is a very, very important threshold in the preparations of INEC to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

“I want to say that we are adequately prepared to conduct a free, fair and credible election in the Delta governorship rerun.
“All logistical arrangements and preparations have been concluded,” he said.

Jega said staff had been deployed for the election, adding that important deployments to the polling units would be done in the next couple of days.

“I am very pleased with the level of our preparations and we have received all the support and cooperation that we require.
“The security agencies are to ensure that there is a peaceful atmosphere for the conduct of the election on Thursday,” he said.

REC, 4 others to supervise polls
Four national electoral commissioners  are expected to join the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Delta, Dr Gabriel Adah, for the state governorship rerun.

Mr Ishmael Bami, chairman of the INEC taskforce on Delta rerun, announced this on Monday, at a meeting with chairmen, of political parties, secretaries and gubernatorial candidates.

Bami said the leadership of the commission had interest in the conduct and outcome of the rerun and would leave no stone unturned in ensuring credible and transparent election in the state.

He said INEC had provided guidelines towards achieving transparency in the rerun, to forestall irregularities experienced in previous elections.

He also said  only accredited observers would be allowed to  monitor the election, adding that the commission would be guided by the Electoral Act.

Bami further said that the voter register had been improved upon to enable each vote counted.

Earlier, Dr Adah had said the method for the election was similar to option A4, adding that number of votes cast must tally with the number of accredited voters.

He said the copies of the voter register would be presented to the political candidates at the end of the meeting.

Adah said that INEC personnel from seven other states had been trained, to ensure a free, fair and credible rerun.

He said a meeting would be held with political parties today, to address salient issues pertaining to the election, while appealing to candidates and parties to be of good conduct during the rerun.

Source: The Nigerian Tribune

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