By-elections are underway in 13 states today to fill vacant seats in the National Assembly, including both Senatorial and Federal Constituencies, as well as State Houses of Assembly.
According to the list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the concerned states include Adamawa (Ganye State Constituency); Anambra (Anambra South Senatorial District and Onitsha North I State Constituency); Edo (Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia North East/Ovia South West Federal Constituency); Jigawa (Babura/Garki Federal Constituency); Kaduna (Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency and Zaria, Kewaye, and Basawa State Constituencies).
Others are Kano (Bagwai/Shanono State Constituency); Kogi (Dekina/Okura State Constituency); Ogun (Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency); Oyo (Ibadan North Federal Constituency); Taraba (Karim Lamido I State Constituency), and Zamfara (Kaura Namoda South State Constituency) as well as Adamawa, Enugu and Niger States.
Meanwhile, INEC has assured of conducting credible polls as the police read the riot act to would-be trouble makers in today’s bye-elections.
INEC yesterday concluded the deployment of sensitive electoral materials across the 12 states and 32 LGAs while security agencies deployed personnel of which the National Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, deployed 20,850 personnel.
Ahead of today’s by-elections, several states experienced tension as political figures traded accusations of a plot to rig the polls, calling on security agencies and electoral officials to ensure fairness.
Amidst this unease and rising concerns about insecurity, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr. Sam Olumekun, released a statement urging all participants—including political parties, candidates, voters, agents, observers, and the media—to strictly follow the provisions of the law, regulations, and guidelines.
Regarding security, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, has deployed senior officers, including Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police, to support the State Commissioners of Police in managing the situation.
Officers and men of the Police Mobile Force, Special Intervention Squad, Force Intelligence Department and other tactical units have equally been deployed.
“The IGP has also ordered the restriction of all forms of vehicular movement on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation, from 12 am to 6 pm on election day within affected Local Government Areas
DCP Muyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer while making this known, said that essential services workers “including INEC Officials, Accredited Media and Electoral Observers, Ambulances responding to medical emergencies, and firefighters are exempted from the restriction.
“Similarly, the IGP reiterates the ban on all security aides to VIPs and escorts from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election.
“State-established and owned security outfits/organizations, quasi-security units, and privately-owned guards and security outfits are also barred from participating in election security management.
“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Egbetokun reiterated his earlier directives on the deployment of operational logistics to the affected States and Local Government Areas where the elections would hold to provide an enabling environment for a free and fair elections.
“The affected states include Anambra, Kano, Oyo, Taraba, Enugu, Adamawa, Edo, Jigawa, Kogi, Kano, Ogun, Zamfara, and Niger States.
“The Inspector General of Police hereby charges all officers deployed for this special duty to ensure compliance with NPF standard operational protocols for elections.
“The IGP further urges all citizens to be law abiding during and after the elections and assures that all necessary security arrangements have been emplaced to ensure their right to vote is unobstructed.”
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