Stage Set For Saturday’s Rivers Re-Run Amid Heavy Security

By IGNATIUS OKPARA, Port Harcourt

The political stage is now fully set for Saturday’s rerun election in River state, South- South Nigeria, just as the entire state capital, Port Harcourt,and environ have been saturated with heavy security presence.

AFRICAN EXAMINER correspondent, Ignatius Okpara, covering the exercise, reports that the election is to hold in the three senatorial districts of the state.

They included, Rivers East, West and South East.

The poll will also be conducted in 12 federal constituencies and 22 state constituencies of the state.

Going by the spread of the exercise, one would say it is a state-wide election as it will take place in the 23 council Areas of the state, presently being governed by the opposition peoples Democratic party, PDP.

Each of the local government areas has a total of 319 electoral wards.

When our Correspondent went round the state on friday to ascertain the level of security presence, it was observed that both uniformed and non uniformed security operatives have arrived the state in their numbers, ahead of saturday.

Already, heavy security have been beefed up at the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC office, located along the popular Ikwere.

INEC disclosed that the election will be conducted in 5, 942 polling units with 24, 930 adhoc staff drawn from the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, lecturers from three federal tertiary institutions.

According to the electoral body, there will also be 379 Collation Officers as well as 37 Returning officers recruited from the federal institutions for the assignment.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG in-charge of Operations, Sotonye Wakama hinted that there is presence of 16 units of heavily armed anti riot policemen among other sister security agencies put in place to fortify security in the state before, during and immediately after the polls.

He said over 2,000 police operatives have been deployed to strengthen the force of about 5000 men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSDC in the state.

The AIG however, warn political thugs and miscreants to steer clear the state during the elections, or be ready to face the music if nabbed.

AFRICAN EXAMINER will keep you posted and abreast with the election proper on Saturday.