With six days to the governorship elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States, the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun has deployed undercover agents, who are currently carrying out covert operations to identify criminals’ hideouts and clamp down on them in the affected and neighbouring states.
Governorship elections in the three states have in recent years been marred by several unsettling events, which led to avoidable loss of lives and property. According to Sunday PUNCH investigation, President Bola Tinubu approved the allowances for police officers deployed for the off-season elections in the three states, as well as other officers on special duties.
During the last governorship election in the Bayelsa State four years ago, the then governor, Senator Seriake Dickson said that 22 persons were killed, with 10 of them members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while the 12 other residents were “beheaded, mutilated and actually butchered” before they were thrown into the sea.
In Kogi State, no fewer than four persons were reported killed during the 2019 election.
Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma; and his counterpart in Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri are seeking re-election, while Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State is rounding off his second term and is supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Alhaji Usman Ododo, whom he anointed among the aspirants to win the party’s ticket.
Six days to the elections, the Force Headquarters said that the police commands in the three states had finalised plans to deploy anti-riot equipment such as teargas canisters, water cannon, Armoured Personnel Carriers and drones to ensure adequate security before, during and after the polls.
The Force Headquarters also disclosed that the police were prepared for the elections, and that adequate deployment had been done in all areas.
In an interview on Friday, Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner Olumuyiwa Adejobi told Sunday PUNCH: “We are ready and have prepared well for the elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa States. Adequate deployments have been done to all areas, including the protection of Independent National Electoral Commission officials, accredited observers, media, materials and facilities. We have made arrangements for necessary escorts during the elections.
“The IG has ordered additional allocation of logistics, equipment and personnel to the states and other states that will support the concerned states. The IG was in Imo to address stakeholders on Thursday. We are good to go.
“Also, the allowances of our personnel for the election duty have been approved for payment. We are engaging all the stakeholders to maintain peace and be law-abiding before, during and after the elections”.
Adejobi had earlier said that, being off-season elections, the police would “deploy our equipment as well to make sure that each of the three states is fortified for free, fair and credible elections. We have enough equipment, arms and ammunition, teargas canisters, water cannons, armoured personnel carriers, drones and our plain clothes officers will also be on the field to gather intelligence for us”.
Confirming the police readiness on Friday, Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent Henry Okoye said there was enough security on ground, adding that the state command had deployed undercover agents, officers in uniform and adequate equipment to enable the electorate to cast their votes under a secured atmosphere.
He said: “We are prepared. Note that the election comes in different phases – the pre-election phase, the election phase and the post-election phase. For the pre-election phase, we have deployed operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau to embark on undercover operations. We deployed them across the 27 LGs, and they are assisting us in intelligence-led raid of criminal hideouts.
“The command is prepared to provide a conducive atmosphere that will guarantee the conduct of a credible and acceptable election. We have made both covert and overt deployments; hence Imolites should come out and cast their votes without fear”.
The two major opposition parties in Imo State – PDP and Labour Party (LP) – have expressed optimism that they will defeat the governor.
In separate interviews in Owerri, the state capital, on Friday, they said that Uzodimma would lose the election, based on his performance in the last four years.
The LP Legal Adviser in the state, Mr. Emeka Ihejirike said the APC administration brought nothing but hardship to the people, noting that the party’s candidate, Mr. Athan Achonu was prepared to lead the state to the path of economic stability, security and infrastructural development.
Ihejirike said although his party had received intelligence that the APC administration was allegedly planning to use thugs to rig the election, the LP and the people of the state were prepared to resist the plot.
He said: “The chances of the Labour Party in the forthcoming governorship election in Imo State are very bright, having taken its message across the 27 Local Governments, 305 wards and 4,720 polling units in the state.
“It is a known fact that Imolites are tired of the constant insecurity, which has not only driven thousands from their homes, but has sent so many to their early graves.
“They (incumbent administration) may try, but they will fail. It will be outright chaos if they try such nonsense (rigging). I am sure (President Bola) Tinubu will not like any part of the country to boil. Therefore, I think he will allow free and fair elections. Meanwhile, we have put things in place to check any attempt at rigging. Imolites should come out and vote; nobody will steal the votes. Even the people rumoured to have written results are desperately begging for votes”.
The Director of Media and Publicity fior Athan Achonu Campaign Organisation, Mr. Chibuikem Diala said the LP candidate was the party to beat in the election, noting that the people were desirous of sustainable development, effective leadership and quality life, which the LP would provide.
He added: “The whole world is aware that the APC in Imo State is capable of doing anything to win the election. The memory of how the current governor got into government is still very fresh. Imolites have also vowed to resist any attempt by the APC people to perpetuate themselves in power because they have been rejected. Like a rolling stone, they will gather no moss.
“We expect Federal Government agencies, including the police, army and the Department of State Services, to remain neutral, professional and to do the right thing at all times. They must not deny the people their choice”.
For the Director-General, PDP’s New Media Directorate in the state, Mr. Lancelot Obiaku, the forthcoming election would be a litmus test for President Tinubu.
He said his party’s candidate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, was sure of winning the election and that the President must ensure that the people’s will prevailed.
“The Imo PDP is confident of a clear and overwhelming victory, because the people are yearning for the party to come in and rescue the state from the ravages of insecurity, rising poverty, infrastructural decay and government rascality. We know the APC government must be plotting several undemocratic moves, including using fake security men and his private Ebueagu militia to cause mayhem and undermine the process.
“However, we expect that the Federal Government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should know that the Imo election is a litmus test for it. Strong doubts remain about the INEC Independent National Electoral Commission) in the state and the current Imo State police commissioner. We are hoping that the Inspector-General of Police and the INEC chairman will do the right thing. We have it on good authority that Imo people will resist any attempt to deny them their choice as they have suffered enough from Uzodimma’s regime”.
But the spokesperson for the APC in the state, Mr. Cajetan Duke said the party was ready for the election and had no plan to hijack the electoral process. He said the claims by the opposition were because they had seen the handwriting on the wall that the greater percentage of the electorate want Uzodimma re-elected.
Duke stated: “The chances of our party, the APC, in the forthcoming governorship election in the state is very reassuring and overwhelming. The performance of Governor Hope Uzodimma over the past three years has earned him the trust and solidarity of the people of the state. We are very confident that with the support and backing of relevant stakeholders in the state, such as religious leaders, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, local development partners as well as prominent political players across party lines, the process will be fair and we will win.
“The re-election of Governor Hope Uzodimma is going to be predicated on his phenomenal performance in the areas of infrastructural development, civil service reforms, urban renewal initiatives, health care delivery, education, agriculture and youth empowerment, among others. Under Governor Uzodimma, we have completely eliminated the monster of family interference in the business of governance in the state. We have seen maturity in leadership.
“There is no such plan to hijack the electoral process, and we don’t have any machinery to do so; the propaganda by the opposition PDP is an acknowledgement of defeat before the commencement of the competition. The opposition in the state is aware that Uzodimma is the most popular political player on the stage at the moment with overwhelming goodwill”.
The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB) also asked INEC officials in the state to ensure that the election is not rigged. It warned that rigging would only throw the state into a political crisis during and after the election.
The group called on willing voters to go out and vote for their preferred candidate and defend their votes.
A statement on Saturday by the group’s spokesman, Mr. Emma Powerful, partly read: “The global family and movement of IPoB ably led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, warns INEC not to throw Imo State into political crisis in the coming governorship election. In this coming election, INEC officials must be very circumspect not to throw Imo State into crisis.
“IPoB members are not politicians, neither are they partisan. But we are against any political party or government that is toxic to our people. Moreso, those hotel owners in Owerri who have concluded plans to hand over their hotels to the government Imo from November 4 to 11 as rigging centers should be careful not to jeopardise their businesses after the elections”.
In Bayelsa State, the ruling PDP and the opposition parties are trading blame over the alleged deployment of thugs to intimidate voters during the election.
PDP’s state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ebiye Ogoli said it was not true that Diri and the party were plotting to use violence to achieve victory in the poll.
He said it was the opposition, particularly the APC, that was relying on thuggery to intimidate voters on the election day, describing Diri as a peaceful person who did not believe in violence as a means of winning elections.
While debunking allegations that the PDP was planning to deploy thugs to intimidate voters, Ogoli said: “Absolutely not (true). The reverse is rather the case. Recall that they threatened the PDP in Twon-Brass town where they called on their supporters to chase the PDP members into the sea and ensure that they die in the process. What is happening now is a follow-up to that order.
“The APC supporters have scaled up the level of intimidation and threat on our party members. The end result is to scare our supporters away, hijack electoral materials and write fictitious results for themselves on election day.
“The truth is that Governor Douye Diri is a peace-loving man and continues to preach peace. His message has always been that we are first brothers and sisters before political parties; and that the quest for power is not a sufficient reason to take the life of your brother or sister. But our main challenger cares less, believing that power acquisition should be by every means possible”.
The state chapter of the APC said it would win the election, if the exercise was free and fair, adding that the people were on the side of the party.
Its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo said: “If the elections are free, fair and credible, the APC will win the election. The Bayelsa people are with us. They have never been with Senator Douye Diri. Don’t forget that he did not win the 2019 governorship election. The Supreme Court made him governor on the basis of alleged multiple names of the deputy governor-elect. Hence he calls himself ‘miracle governor’.
“His performance in office has been disgraceful. No wonder, he has not been campaigning on any known record of achievement. Instead, the incumbent government has been running from court to court, and resorting to self-help. Our candidate, Timipre Sylva, has a robust six-point agenda to move Bayelsa State forward. We have challenged Douye Diri to produce his programme. He has yet to pick up the challenge.
“We know as a matter of fact that the PDP is desperate about this election. But fear is out of the question. We have the capacity within the limits of the law to face, contain and defeat them. We call on armed and security forces to do their work according to the laws of our land”.
In Kogi State, the PDP and Social Democratic Party (SDP) have expressed hope of winning a free and fair governorship election.
SDP’s Director of Communication, Mr. Faruk Adejoh-Audu urged the President to provide adequate security for the election.
Adejoh-Audu said: “The major problem we have is violence, but as we can see, that is being taken care of. The President is deploying soldiers to every nook and cranny of the state, who will tackle political thuggery during the election. All we need is a level playing field and this can be achieved if the President keeps to his word; soldiers are everywhere, thugs are not allowed to move freely with guns, and of course, if there is no compromise.
“Our confidence level of winning this election is very high because already, we are sure of 25 per cent votes from all the local governments, so we are sure of winning. We are winning this election no matter the manipulation. And we are doing our best to make sure that those manipulations don’t work. We will police our votes from the polling units to the collation centres”.
Also, the spokesperson for the PDP campaign council, Mr. Yemi Olumudi said: “The whole world is concerned because of the 2019 incident, not just our party. As I speak to you, there is already a heavy military presence in some parts of the local governments just to forestall possible breakdown of law and order.
“We are very confident that we are going to win the poll, because the people of Kogi are tired of suffering. The fact is there for all to see. And the candidate of the PDP, Senator Dino Melaye, is the most qualified and most experienced. There are only two parties in Kogi State that have structures – the PDP and the APC – all the other parties don’t have structures and we are very confident that we will emerge victorious at the poll”.
Reacting to the claims that the party planned to instigate violence during the election, the APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Usman Suleman said: “Violence is not part of us and we don’t have any plan to instigate violence. We know we are on the ground, so why are we going to create violence? You know you are going to win, why will you be fighting again?
“Our confidence in winning this election is 100 per cent sure. I am giving you my assurance that the APC is going to win this election because some of the leaders of some of the opposition parties like the PDP have started defecting to our party. So, I am not doubting our victory”.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Peace Committee (NPC), General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.) said that parties and stakeholders involved in the off-cycle elections in the three states would sign the Peace Accord on Wednesday.
In a statement by the former Head of State on Saturday, he said: “The NPC hereby wishes to announce the signing of the Peace Accord on Wednesday, 8th November 2023 by political parties and other election stakeholders in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states. This is to pledge their commitment to peaceful, transparent and equitable elections in their respective states”.
The chairman noted the need to commit to a peaceful and conducive environment, adding that the elections in the states provided an opportunity “to underscore our unwavering commitment to peaceful democratic transitions, setting an inspiring example for the entire nation”.
Source: Sunday PUNCH
