Inspector General of Police Usman Baba has deployed 34,587 police personnel and three helicopters as a major security measure to guarantee safe, secure, and credible electoral process in the November 6 governorship election in Anambra state.
He also warned subversive elements bent on employing violence as well as political actors who may want to adopt undemocratic and illegal means to achieve their aspiration to bury such thoughts or be prepared to face the wrath of the law, no matter how highly placed.
The IGP disclosed this Thursday at the Force Headquarters in Abuja while speaking during the second strategic police managers’ conference comprising Commissioners of Police (CP) and above.
Baba, who said the meeting was a follow up to a similar session with Squadron Commanders on the upcoming election, noted that the Police was “firmly committed to partner with the INEC with the dictates of the Electoral Act towards delivering a credible electoral process and outcome.”
“An electoral security threat analysis has been conducted by the Force Intelligence Bureau and based on the outcome of this initiative, we have developed a strategic election security operation order which involves the mobilisation and deployment of 34,587 personnel.
“This will comprise of conventional police officers; Police Mobile Force (PMF); Counter Terrorisms Unit (CTU); special forces personnel; Explosive Ordinance Unit (EOD); Force Intelligence Bureau (FBI), INTERPOL; Special Protection Unit (SPU); as well as police medical teams.
“We will also be deploying three police helicopter for aerial surveillance as well as detachments of marine police operatives; specially trained Force animals; and our unique technical intelligence capacity towards guaranteeing a safe, secure and credible electoral process in the state.
“Drawing from our previous election security operations, we have also emplaced adequate forward and reverse logistics arrangement to address the welfare needs of all personnel being deployed for operations,” the police boss said.
He further said: “The years is gradually winding down and as the lead internal security agency, I must remind you all of your critical roles in projecting nd strengthening the security architecture in Commands towards ensuring that anticipated security threats are prevented in the most professional and proactive manner.
“…To compliment your efforts, I can assure you that we shall soon launch a s deploy new fleet of patrol vehicles and other operational assets which are being procured through the intervention of the Police Trust Fund (PTF) to re-energise the safer highway patrol scheme and strengthen your operations.”
“We are also initiating certain actions that are directed at addressing specific issues that impact on our professional output. In this regard, in the course of my recent duty tours, I have noticed, as well as received complaints on the poor and inhabitants state of most police barracks.
“In response to this, the Force leadership is currently working with the Federal government and PFT as well as taking full advantage of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) window towards redeveloping our barracks and establishing new affordable housing estates for all cadre of Police personnel.
“In addition, we are working at modernising our police stations across the country, both in terms of architectural design, furnishing, and operational protocols. In this regard, we have developed a model police station architectural design which will be constructed across all the states of the federation in replacement to the existing outdated police stations, most of which are no longer fit for purpose.
“Implementation of this project will soon commence and the initiative is to create a purpose-built, friendly and befitting working environment for police operations in the spirit of community policing a d to start giving practical effect to our vision of modernising the NPF,” Baba added.
Soludo APGA candidate – S/Court
In a related development, the Supreme Court Thursday affirmed former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo as the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).
The apex court also returned Chief Victor Oye as the party’s national chairman.
In its judgment, a 5-man panel of Justices dismissed the appeal filed by Mr Jude Okeke on the ground of being an abuse of court process and lacking in merit and substance.
While delivering the lead judgment, Justice Mary Odili awarded a sum of one million naira against Jude Okeke to be paid to both APGA and Oye.
Justice Odili equally upheld the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Kano division which had earlier dismissed the suit filed Okeke.
The Court of Appeal had earlier dismissed the Jigawa High Court’s decisions, saying it lacked jurisdiction over the matter and should there be set aside.
Justice Odili noted that the appellants, in the desperate bid to abuse the court process, moved their cases from Anambra state to Imo and later to Jigawa state where they eventually got judgment in their favour March 31, 2021.
The Jigawa High Court judgment delivered in March was also voided and set aside by the Court of Appeal, Kano Division March 8, 2021 on the ground that the high court of Jigawa lacked jurisdiction to have entertained the suit.
In its ruling, the apex court lambasted the appellants for engaging in forum shopping.
“This amounts to crass abuse of court process an attempt to get favourable judgment to suit your own purposes.
“Okeke and some other lawyers out there should stop misleading the court through multiple cases over the same subject matters,” Odili held further.
Consequently, the sum of one million naira was slammed as fine against Jude Okeke to be paid to APGA and Victor Oye.
The Supreme Court also agreed that the election of officers of political officers was an internal affair of respective parties and cannot be challenged in court.
ADP urges INEC
Meanwhile, the national leadership of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adopt electronic transmission of results in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra state.
The opposition party also expressed support for the Senate on the direct primaries decision by all the political parties.
ADP national chairman, Engr. Yabagi Sani, said this Thursday in Abuja while inaugurating the party’s campaign council for the governorship candidate in Anambra state
He said the adoption of direct primaries is a victory for democracy, adding that all members of the party will now have opportunity to participate in the selection of candidates.
According to Engr. Sani, “the ADP wishes to call on the federal government, all other stakeholders particularly, the security agencies not only to ensure that the governorship election in Anambra state is conducted as scheduled on the 6th of November, 2021.
“There must not be any compromise, all impediments in the way of a hitch-free exercise, must be cleared so that the wishes of the people prevail at the end of the day. The waves of honest and positive change blowing across the entire country have engulfed the shores of Anambra State and, shall we warn that, the consequences of trying to stop the tide, will be fruitless and counterproductive.”
“I wish to seize this opportunity to congratulate the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, on its historic victory over the debacle with the National Assembly on the issue of electronic transmission of election results. Most certainly, the courage demonstrated by the leadership of INEC under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has in no small measures, reinforced the confidence of Nigerians in the possibilities for the conduct of credible elections in the country in times ahead.
“This is particularly so when cognisance is given to the immense intimidation, arm-twisting and threats from retrogressive agents of anachronism, enemies of democracy, free and fair elections who will want the nation to continue in the old ways that provide them the rooms to manipulate and rape the people of their inalienable and fundamental rights of electing their political leaders in a democracy.
“In this regard, the ADP emphatically demanding that the electoral body to test-run the electronic transfer of votes in the forthcoming Anambra Gubernatorial election.
“For its courage of biting the humble pie by retracting its initial unpopular and reactionary stance on the e-transfer of votes from poling units, the ADP wishes to commend the Senate for listening, for once, to the voice of reason.
“Our party is calling on members of the House of Representatives to emulate the latest decision of our Senators in the process of amending the Electoral Act. In the same vein, the ADP is expressing the hope that the Bill will receive assent of the President without much delay,” the ADP stated.
