As political parties in Edo State conduct primaries to elect candidates for the September 21, 2024, Governorship election, the State Police Command has ordered its operatives to arrest anybody found perpetuating or instigating violence.
OsunDailyNG reports that the Commissioner in charge of the command. Funsho Adegboye gave the order on Wednesday at a press briefing in Benin City.
Adegboye, represented by Chidi Nwabuzor, the Public Relations Officer of the command described last Saturday’s delegate primary election of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as an eye-opener to the command.
OsunDailyNG reports that last Saturday’s APC governorship primary was characterized by violence perpetuated by political thugs allegedly sponsored by one of the aspirants.
The thugs invaded the collation and announcement venue of the primary election, where they attacked journalists, electoral officers as well as party’s faithful. The primary, however, produced three candidates.
The commissioner said the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP will be conducting its primary Thursday, February 22, while the APC will also conduct its rescheduled primary on the same day.
He said, ”you could remember that we had just a little hitch of a particular party delegate election. That has been an eye-opener to Edo State Police Command, that we should no longer tolerate as a party affairs.
“So, this time around, we are not going to view it as party affairs. We are going to view it very seriously to ensure that the right thing is done. That the lives and properties of these party members are protected.
“The Nigeria Police, Edo State Command is very, very ready to ensure that there is a peaceful, hitch-free delegate election cut across political parties in Edo state.
“We are ready to ensure that the lives and properties of these delegates, the party men and women are well protected and secure”, he said.
He disclosed that the state Commissioner of Police had adequately deployed officers and men for the exercise, noting that it was the hope of the command that any form of violence or civil disobedience would not be experienced.
The Commissioner, who did not disclose the number of personnel that the command will deploy for the exercise, however, added that the Command is working with all other sister security agencies to ensure a crisis exercise.
He warned that anyone at all, irrespective of his personality, found doing so would be arrested and brought to book.
Adegboye, who appealed to the delegates in the political parties primary to conduct themselves peacefully also warned that anyone irrespective of his personality, found fomenting trouble will be arrested and prosecuted.
He, however, clarified that members of the state security vigilante are not expected to be at the various venues of the elections.
“The vigilante is not part of the process in any election, be it a state election or general election at all.
“The vigilantes are not part of it, they are not part of the security agencies. They are a state-owned security outfit, so we cannot take the risk to have them around in this kind of important duties”, he added.
