The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Kogi State, Dr Hale Gabriel Longpet, has fears over the possibility of conducting the forthcoming governorship election in some parts of the state.
Longpet who spoke at a stakeholders meeting organised ahead of the election specifically mentioned Ibaji and part of Bassa because of expected flooding and communal crisis.
He, however, assured that all the eligible voters will be allowed to exercise their franchise.
Prof. Longpet advised politicians to play the game by the rule, stressing that the role of the commission is to conduct the election within the ambit of the law.
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According to him the commission is perfecting its activities to ensure a credible, free and fair election in the November 11 governorship election in the state.
The state REC stressed further that the last election witnessed instances of instability, destruction of lives and property at some voting points.
“Final list of candidates contesting the November 11th governorship election in the state has been published. Campaign in public is expected to commence on June 14th. Let us all engage in the campaign of issues and caution supporters to operate with the rules as amended in Electoral Act 2022,” he said.
While advising the political actors to shun thuggery and other vices for a peaceful election, he said the commission arrested 215 electoral offenders in the last election in the country who will soon be prosecuted.
The AIG zone 8, Babatunde Ishola, Kogi State Commissioner of Police, and all other representatives of various security agencies in the state, including traditional rulers and other interest groups urged the political actors in the election to shun all forms of vices in order to achieve peaceful polls.
SDP petitions Tinubu
Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the growing violence and security breaches ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State.
The SDP national secretary, Dr Olu Agunloye, who spoke on behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party yesterday at the party’s national secretariat, said considering the unabated attacks and a series of physical harassment instances on the governorship candidate of the party, Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, the president must to address the issue.
He said their governorship candidate and other party members are being hunted and if the president does not act fast to restore sanity, it will affect the upcoming election.
Court orders maximum protection for SDP candidate
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered security agencies in the country to provide maximum security to the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in the November governorship election in Kogi State, Murtala Ajaka.
Justice Inyang Ekwo in a ruling on an ex parte application on Thursday directed the Chief of Defence Staff, Army, Navy, DSS, the IGP and others to ensure that Ajaka’s safety is guaranteed pending the determination of the suit.
The application was brought on July 11 for a restraining order against the security agencies from arresting, inviting, detaining or threatening the applicant’s life and property pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
By Tijani Labaran, Lokoja, By John C. Azu & Abbas Jimoh (Abuja)
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