Over 300 Mobile Policemen Deployed for Rescheduled Ekiti APC Guber Primary

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Saturday, May 12th, 2018

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The rescheduled primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Ekiti Governorship election is underway amid very tight security in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

Reports say the mobile policemen are deployed to monitor the exercise and maintain peace at the venue of the exercise.

The tight security arrangement followed uncovered plot by some political thugs working for some aspirants to disrupt the primary as done last Saturday, when the exercise first held.

In order to maintain law and order at the primary, five Mobile Police Units including Unit 02 from Keffi, Obalende Lagos; Unit 37 from Lokoja, Kogi State; Unit 39 Osogbo, Osun State; Unit 15 Ilorin, Kwara State and 22 Odudua, Ikeja, Lagos have been deployed to Ado Ekiti venue of the decisive primary.

Speaking at a stakeholder and the APC aspirants meeting in the State capital, the Primary Chairman and Nasarawa State Governor, Al-Makura said: “there will be no observer for the primary. Only statutory observers: INEC and observers from the National secretariat will be allowed.

“The National secretariat have changed the ballot papers, it is completely new with clear photograph. Aspirants should come alone; for the period of the election, leave your escort behind. “Briefing journalists later on the state of preparedness, the governor said accreditation would begin at 8.00 am.”

He confirmed that a total of 2, 618 delegates would elect the APC candidate, and stressed that the committee, in collaboration with security agencies, would not allow the exercise to be disrupted or manipulated by anybody.

“Any delegate accredited won’t be allowed to go out for any reason. Any delegate that enters the arena must be identified by his party membership card, and extra statutory identity like International Passport, Driver’s Licence and National ID Card.

“Such delegates must be identified with the list given to us by the National secretariat. All accreditation must be completed for delegates from all the senatorial zones before voting starts. Voting will be done once at a time and it will start with delegates from Ekiti South, the farthest, then to Ekiti North and Ekiti Central, the closest. After identification, delegates will be given ballot paper and they will submit their delegates tag for punching and they will also submit the ropes of their tags, Al-Makura revealed.

The primary chairman also disclosed that some of the suspected hoodlums arrested for disrupting the primary last Saturday were currently being prosecuted in the court.

He sought the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure a successful primary stating that the panel would be fair to all. Aside the security challenge, Al-Makura alleged that some aspirants have also engaged themselves in rumour mongering and propaganda.

The stakeholders meeting was attended by the new commissioner of Police, Mr. Bello Ahmed; Director of Department of State Services, Mrs. Promise Iheanacho; Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr. Donatus Ikemefuna and Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Ismaila Kugu.

Meanwhile, a commissioner who served under a former governor of the State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Mr. Debo Ajayi, allegedly said to have stepped down for his former boss has denied ever bowing out of the race.

Recall the exercise was disrupted last week by some suspected hoodlums who stormed the venue, smashed the ballot boxes and destroyed ballot cards, forcing the party to suspend the exercise.