The Police in Rivers state have issued a directive that movement be restricted in the Khana and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas (LGAs) where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is conducting supplementary elections on Saturday for two House of Representatives seats. This decision was made in the interest of ensuring that the polls are conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner.
It is noteworthy that INEC Rivers had earlier issued a public notice on the 4th of April, notifying stakeholders that supplementary elections would hold on the 15th of April for Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency (FC) for Registration Areas (RAs) 04 and 07, involving 42 Polling Units (PUs) and Port-Harcourt II FC for RAs 05, 10–18 covering 377 PUs. Dr Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), urged all registered voters in the affected Registration Areas/Polling Units to come out en-masse to cast their votes and to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner and in accordance with laid down Guidelines.
The Commissioner of Police, Rivers Command, CP Okon Effiong, has assured the public of adequate security measures to ensure that the election is peaceful and devoid of violence. In view of this, he has ordered the restriction of movement of persons and vehicles both land and waterways, in the areas where the elections will be conducted, from 6.00am to 5pm on the day of the election. Additionally, no VIP or politician will be allowed to the Polling Units with their security details. Politicians and government officials have also been warned not to embark on patrol on election day, but rather to go only to their polling units to vote and return to their homes.
Effiong stressed that security agencies will be appropriately deployed to ensure strict compliance with the directives and appealed for the understanding, continued support and cooperation of members of the public in this regard, as it is intended to provide a conducive atmosphere to conduct free, fair, credible and violence-free elections. It is important for all stakeholders to cooperate with the relevant authorities to ensure a peaceful and credible election.
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