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| Civil Defence operatives in mock exercise |
State
yesterday as voters in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and over 101
polling units across six local government areas prepare for today’s
supplementary governorship election.
The election is being contested by Chief
Timipre Sylva and Governor Seriake Dickson, the candidates of All
Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
respectively.
Since it started on December 5, the election has been a two-horse race between Dickson and Sylva.
The December 5 governorship poll in the
state was declared inconclusive with supplementary election fixed for
today after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
controversially cancelled the results of the election in Southern Ijaw.
Our correspondent observed that Southern
Ijaw has been soaked in tension in the build-up to the rerun. Hired
militants and thugs were believed to have laid siege to the council
preparing to violently deliver it to their candidates.
Some of the thugs, who were allegedly
brought into the council from neighboring states of Delta and Rivers,
were said to have clashed with indigenes of some Southern Ijaw
communities.
It was gathered that youths loyal to the
All Progressives Congress (APC) caught one of the youths in Peremabiri,
who reportedly confessed he was hired by the PDP.
A source in Peremabiri, who spoke in confidence, said there was tension in the area and other parts of the council.
“There is tension everywhere. In fact,
we don’t know what the outcome of the election will be. There are signs
that it will be marred by violence”, he said.
It was, however, gathered that the
council was surrounded by gunboats of the Operation Safe Conduct (OSC), a
special military outfit drafted to monitor the poll, the police and the
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Following threats of violence, the NSCDC
directed its operatives and officers to provide maximum security around
all the oil installations in the state.
The corps also deployed 1500 personnel to assist other security agencies in ensuring a hitch-free election.
While deploying the operatives, the
state Commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu, warned those that were sent to
protect public facilities against the temptation of leaving such
installations to run after politicians.
Agu said the Commandant-General had
ordered that any NSCDC operative found culpable of compromising the
rules of engagement should be dismissed from service.
He said the officers and men of the command were deployed to provide security to critical public installations during the poll.
He named such installations as
facilities of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Nigerian
Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Oil and Gas Pipeline, Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
He said: “On no account should they
allow themselves to be used for other activities during this
supplementary election in Southern Ijaw and environs as against their
primary duties of keeping surveillance and protection over facilities in
their custody.
“Anyone found to have contravened this
strict order of the Commandant-General will face a stringent
disciplinary action of dismissal from service
“I am not deploying you to go and die.
Don’t attach yourself to any politician. I am commending you for the job
you did in the last election because the people said if not for you,
things would have got out of hand.”
The commandant warned the people of the
stage against destabilizing their state, insisting that election is not a
do-or-die affair.
Also, the police command said it had
beefed up security with increased foot, vehicular, and waterways
patrols, as well as intensive aerial surveillance in all nooks and
crannies of the state.
A statement signed by the Police Public
Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Asinim Butswat, asked all political
parties and their contestants to desist from any act capable of
disrupting the electoral process.
The statement said: “The command in
collaboration with other security agencies have synergized to create an
enabling environment for the forthcoming re-run elections in Southern
Ijaw LGA and other affected polling units.
“VIPs are advised to desist from using
security men to escort them to polling units on election date, as any
violation to this order will not be tolerated.
Security agencies have been ordered to
enforce the restrictions of movements of boats fitted with two hundred
(200) horse power engine and above, and all river craft activities in
the state waterways from 7pm to 7am Friday 8th – Sunday 10th January,
2016, respectively.
“Any person or group of persons who
violates this order will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
Likewise, movement of persons, motor vehicles and tricycles will be
restricted on the Election Day in the entire state from the hours of 6am
to 6pm. Only those on essential duties will be allowed to move.
“The voters in the affected areas are
advised to come out and exercise their franchise by casting their votes
for candidates of their choice.”
Source: THENATION