BY OMOS OYINBODE, ASABA
Delta State Commissioner of Police, Baba Usman Alkali, yesterday, said that not less than 70 persons are cooling their feet in police custody following various electoral malpractices exhibited during the March 28 presidential elections in the state.
The Delta Police Commissioner gave the disclosure during an emergency meeting organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to review the logistic challenges in the previous elections and finetune ways to prevent their occurrence in the April 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections.
Usman said some of the people arrested have been charged to court while others are still under investigation, the result of which would determine the next line of action.
Giving analysis of the security challenge in the last election, the CP listed Ndokwa East and West, Patani and Ughelli local government areas as certain council areas where there were security breaches during the presidential elections.
He told the stakeholders that gathered at the Orchid Hotels in Asaba that the police had made adequate preparation for the governorship election, noting that all the security challenges in the presidential election would be addressed in the next Saturday’s election.
He called on all political parties participating in the election to call their supporters to be law abiding as the police would ensure that all culprits of violence would be dealt with during the governorship election.
Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Elder Aniede Ikiowak, said major challenge experienced during the presidential election was the logistic hiccup in the area of failed transport arrangement leading to delay in arrival of electoral materials.
Elder Ikiowak, who said there was, however, no disappointment in the coastal areas, noted that in the Governorship election, where card readers fail, no manual accreditation would be done, adding that election in such places would be moved to the following day.
He condemned the role of party agents who have continuously attempted taking over the job of INEC officials during elections, calling on party leaders to educate their agents so as to avoid running into conflict with INEC officials.
The Delta REC, who said he had received various petitions from political party members, said the politicians failed in their petitions to list atrocities committed by their agents and supporters during the presidential elections.
He also said he had received reports from members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) indicating withdrawal from participation in the election citing threat to life as reasons for opting out of the exercise.
