The Commissioner of Police, Kogi command, Mr Hakeem Busari on Tuesday, said that the command would provide adequate security to enable the electorate to vote in the state’s Nov. 16 governorship election.
Busari gave the assurance during a Peace Walk and presentation of the Media Position to the police command and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lokoja.
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The police commissioner said that the police would continue to provide adequate security all through the campaigns up till the election proper when the person would be further beefed up with more reinforcement.
“The inspector-general of police has assisted us by posting manpower to us before this election to ensure that we manage the campaign period and he will send more personnel for the election,” he said.
During the election, the commissioner said that all the polling units would be well-manned with no fewer than eight personnel each to provide adequate security and enable the electorate to cast votes without molestations.
Also, Prof. James Apam, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said that the commission was committed to conducting the election in a free, fair and credible manner.
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“This time around, we want to hold a brief and clean election in this state, at least, for once; our meetings with young people and women are going to help,” he said.
Earlier, Alhaji Adeiza Momoh-Jimoh, Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Kogi, charged INEC to conduct free, fair and credible elections for the sustenance of democracy.
Momoh-Jimoh who was represented by the state secretary of the union, Alhaji Seidu Ademu presented the Kogi Media Position and 11-demand to INEC with a charge on the commission to function independently, free from external control and influence.
Mrs Anne Olurinde, Kogi chairperson, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), presented the Media Position and an eight-point demand to the commissioner of police.
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The demand according to Olurinde was a call on the police command to promote peaceful participation and smooth conduct through unbiased operations.
Media Peace Day Walk was organised by the NUJ in partnership with Search for Common Ground (SEARCH) with the aim of mitigating electoral violence in the Kogi off-cycle governorship election.
