Hakeem Gbadamosi – Akure
Ahead of this Saturday Presidential elections, heads of Security Agencies in Ondo state and officials of the the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday met behind closed-doors in Akure, the state capital, and said all plans had been concluded to ensure peaceful conduct of the Presidential elections in the state.
Briefing journalists shortly after the meeting, the state Commissioner of Police, Oyeyemi Oyediran, said about 7,000 combined security personnel would be deployed for the next Saturday election, with 17,562 polling officials spread across the state to be involved in the conduct of the election.
He said the meeting of the security heads was put in place to review security arrangements for the elections and develop action plans to ensure that the election is held under a peaceful atmosphere.
The Police boss reassured the people of the state that security agencies were ready to provide a safe and secure environment for the elections, saying the security personnel would be deployed to all polling units across the state.
He said that personnel deployed have been specially trained and equipped for the election coverage and advised the residents not to entertain any fear of molestation, but to come out and vote freely in an orderly manner.
Oyediran said: “Over 7000 combined security personnel are to cover the election and we are assuring the public that we are ready for the success of the forthcoming elections.
“I want to inform the public that they should be rest assured that the forthcoming elections is going to be peaceful and we are all ready for that purpose. Thuggery alongside with others related vices will not be allowed.
“We have DPOs, Area Commanders, Operation Officers who are in charge of all areas in the state. So we are fully ready and by the grace of God this elections is going to be a successful one. We will have free and fair elections, come Saturday, the election is going to be credible.
“So far so good we have not arrested anybody in the state for campaign offences and we have been ensuring that two political parties don’t have campaigns on the same day.”
Also speaking, Acting Residents Electoral Commission (REC) in the state, Oyekola Oyelami, said, 17, 562 ad-hoc personnel would serve in various capacities in the elections.
He said the ad hoc staff, comprising of Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), Presiding Officers (POs) and other relevant electoral officers would facilitate the smooth conduct of the election.
The REC said the election would be held in 3,933 polling units across 18 local government areas of the state, saying that about 1.7m registered voters were expected to vote during the election.
According to him, the commission had taken delivery of BVAS machines to facilitate the smooth conduct of the election and said the BVAS had been tested to ensure its efficacy and capability to stimulate the electronic transmission of election results during elections.
He said “the commission in Ondo state is deploying 17, 562 Ad-hoc personnel to serve in various capacities as far the elections is concerned on Saturday.
“As far as the issue of BVAS is concerned, INEC has been sensitising people on the using of this BVAS on the election.
“BVAS is going to be used for accreditation alongside with thumbprint, and facial so we don’t have any problem on this.”
He however, said the scarcity of fuel and naira notes would not affect the election, and said “INEC does not have any problem, arrangement had been made to make sure that this election go as scheduled.
