Anambra Poll: Massive security deployment may have an impact on attendance, however… —IGP

AHEAD of the Anambra State Governorship election on November 6, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Usman Baba, said yesterday that while the massive deployment of security personnel to the state may discourage voter turnout, it was necessary to prevent criminals from disrupting the process and causing mayhem.

The police would send 34, 587 policemen to Anambra for the election, including two DIGs, five AIGs, 92 other high officials, and three helicopters.

The Police Commissioner’s opinion came as the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, maintained it had made no formal comment on the vote and had not advocated for a boycott, despite repeated blackmailing statements made against the organization.

Meanwhile, the Voters Rights International (VRI) has taken the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court, requesting that the gubernatorial election be postponed until February 15, 2022, due to insecurity.

IGP Baba stated at a ministerial media briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja that the police had been releasing jingles and talking to stakeholders to assure them of safety in order to ensure that the electorate came out to exercise their franchise.

He said that the majority of the cops assigned to voting booths would be unarmed since they would be looking for vote manipulation and unlawful campaigning at venues.

When asked if large deployment would be detrimental, he responded, “As for enormous deployment, certainly, it has advantages and problems.”

“Knowing that it has the downside of potentially militarizing the political process, we strive to engage in public enlightenment and stakeholder enlightenment that our presence is to police the situation in two ways.”

“That is, while we are encouraging people to vote, another group or other subversive forces are saying, ‘don’t come.'”

“If you come, we will do this and that.” So there must be some level of confidence that we would provide to these folks in order for them to come out.

“This necessitates a big deployment of officers and personnel to guarantee that subversive groups do not seize control of the process.”

According to the police chief, troops will be stationed at polling places “to maintain orderliness and monitoring of electoral malpractices, such as vote-buying, campaigning in the area, and so on; this does not even need the carrying of weaponry.”

Furthermore, “there is a need to have cops on standby, on patrol, to inspect would-be people who can carry weaponry against the state.”

“We’re attempting to educate and enlighten people about the importance of our presence in ensuring that the electorate comes out and exercises their right to vote for whomever they choose.”

“That is the essence of the jingles we’re creating, the essence of going to community engagements, stakeholder meetings, talking to religious leaders, and so on.”

“The huge deployment should take place for the benefit of everyone.”

PDP tasks IGP on the peaceful poll

Reacting to the comment, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, called on Inspector General of Police, IGP, Usman Baba, to restrict the role of his men to the orderly and peaceful conduct of the governorship election.

“The Inspector-General of Police must be reminded that the world’s eyes are on him and his soldiers,” PDP National Publicity Secretary Kola Ologbondiyan stated.

“The police should provide a peaceful environment for the poll to take place.”

“They must not behave themselves in any way that allows election outcomes to be written.”

“As far as the PDP is concerned, people will turn out in force to vote, but we require that they be safeguarded.” They should not be frightened in any way. The cops have a definite role to play.

“The people support our candidate Valentine Ozigbo.” As a result, we are really enthusiastic about our chances of winning.”

No statement on poll boycott —IPOB

Meanwhile, the IPOB has denied directing a boycott of the governorship election.

Rather, the pro-Biafra organization said that what it meant was that if the Federal Government did not release its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, unconditionally by November 4, 2021, the whole Biafra land will be closed down from November 5 to November 10, 2021.

According to a statement issued by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the organization’s position had nothing to do with the Anambra election, and that what the group demanded was the release of their leader, who they claimed committed no crime and was being detained in captivity.

“The global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, ably led by our great and indefatigable leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to clarify that, contrary to speculations and blackmail, IPOB has never made any official statement or called for a boycott of the Anambra State gubernatorial election coming on November 6th, 2021.”

“It will thus be improper for individuals to conjecture or spread falsehoods about us when there is no foundation for doing so.”

“For the avoidance of doubt, what we indicated was that the whole Biafra territory will be closed down from November 5 to November 10, 2021, if the Federal Government did not free our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, by November 4.”

“Our stance has nothing to do with the Anambra election.” All we need is the freedom of our leader, who has been imprisoned indefinitely for no wrongdoing.

“We have uncovered a conspiracy by the Nigerian government to keep our leader in custody indefinitely through spurious court adjournments.”

“Politicians must keep IPOB out of their problems.” They should refrain from involving IPOB in their election.

“We were aware of their nefarious designs when they were assassinating other politicians and putting it on IPOB.” They ought to leave us alone.

“Using social media to link IPOB to the Anambra election demonstrates that most of them are unaware of machinations by the Nigerian government and her security agents to hijack this election and deliver it to whoever they want, in order to finalize theit plan of Ruga installation in Anambra State.” But that won’t work because IPOB is one step ahead of them.”