Governorship and House of Assembly elections will hold today amid tension in most states of the federation.
The tension has necessitated the need by the police and other security agencies to map out strategies to prevent breakdown of law and order during and after the polls.
To achieve the objective, Saturday PUNCH learnt that the security agencies have identified and mapped-out violence-prone areas in the states as well as deployed large number of security personnel in the affected areas.
Though governorship election will not hold in states such as Ekiti, Osun, Ondo, Kogi, Bayelsa and Anambra, it was gathered that the conduct of the House of Assembly election still provided platform for tension to rise in the affected states.
For example, the House of Assembly election will only hold today in Ondo State. In spite of that, tension was said to have built-up in Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Akoko North-East, Akoko North-West and some parts of Akure South local government areas.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, said during the week that the state Independent National Electoral Commission identified the local government areas flash points based on experiences during past elections.
He said, “INEC has an electoral risk map which has helped us to identify the hot spots based on experiences during past elections, and the map has since been submitted to security agencies which we believe they will work on.
“The identified local government areas include Ilaje, Ese Odo, Akoko North East, Akoko North West and some parts of Akure South Local Government. We are also meeting with the security agencies to review the security situation in those areas.”
But the police promised to protect lives and property during the poll. The police spokesperson in the state, Mr. Wole Ogodo, said more personnel would be deployed in the flash points to strengthen the security already put in place.”
Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor and Gokana local government areas have been described as four flash points in Rivers State.
It was gathered that the anxiety in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA followed plans by the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Felix Obuah and the State Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prince Peter Odiche, who are both from the same council, to deliver it to their political parties.
There have also been reported incidents of politically motivated killings in the area. About a week ago, a former council chairman, Chief Christopher Adube, was killed by some gunmen. Members of his family were not left out as his three children and driver were also killed by the attackers.
One person was killed in Ikwerre LGA of the state during the March 28 presidential election. It was learnt that such ugly incident may repeat itself if nothing was done to prevent it as a result of the volatile nature of the area.
Obio/Akpor is also considered a battle ground. The PDP governorship candidate in the state, Chief Nyesom Wike, and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Tony Okocha, are from Obio/Akpor. They both have a serious affiliation to Rumueprikom in Obio/Akpor. Some of the politically motivated attacks in the past occurred in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Sporadic shootings, which rented the air in Gokana Local Government Area of the state during the March 28 presidential election, may likely re-occur today because supporters of the two prominent members of the major parties in election were said to be insisting on winning the council area for their principal at all cost.
In Kwara State, the police confirmed Share in Ifelodun LGA, Isapa in Ekiti LGA, Agbaji and Oke-Mele in Ilorin West LGA as flash points because political heavyweights hail from the areas.
Share is the home town of the incumbent governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, who is also seeking re-election on the All Progressives Congress platform. Isapa is the hometown of the PDP governorship candidate, Senator Simeon Ajibola.
Agbaji is the Ilorin family home of the state APC leader and the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology and Environment, Dr. Bukola Saraki. The Minister of National Planning, Dr. Sulaiman Abubakar, who is a PDP chieftain in the state, also hails from there.
The police spokesperson for the state, Mr. Ajayi Okesanmi, told one of our correspondents that security agencies had perfected strategies to prevent lawlessness in the identified areas.
“We know that the governorship and House of Assembly elections are nearer to the grassroots than the presidential election. So, we expect more tension but we are prepared to make sure that every area is well policed,” Okesanmi noted.
The police have also blocked all the loopholes that hoodlums could exploit to cause trouble in Plateau State.
The police spokesperson in the state, Emmanuel Abuh, said detectives took the steps after they discovered that unruly behaviour trailed the March 28 presidential election.
He said, “The police have taken note of the wild jubilation that followed the March 28 presidential election and the unruly attitude of some political supporters. The police are ready to deal with trouble makers. We have deployed adequate men and materials to ensure that we achieve the feat.”
Government Day Secondary School, Mechanic Junction, Sujeh Junction, Living Faith Church Junction, Chanchaga Fadu Market and Kure Central Market are the flash points identified in Minna, the Niger State capital.
The police said they envisaged problem in the areas and as a result came up with “Operation Occupied till Kingdom Comes” to ensure that the election is peaceful in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ibrahim Gambari, told one of our correspondents in Minna that vehicles were attached to Operation Occupied till Kingdom Comes for optimum service delivery.
According to findings, Ile Ife, Ijesa axis and Ikirun axis are considered as politically volatile areas in Osun State.
One Yomi Ademola was killed in Ikirun in a pre-dawn violence which erupted in the town during the presidential election.
Ademola, a 27-year-old man, was said to be a member of the APC before he defected to the PDP.
The victim was said to have been killed at the premises of a primary school in the town.
The state APC and the PDP accused each other of Ademola’s killing.
Although nobody was killed in Ijesaland during the last presidential poll, two persons were killed in Ilesa shortly before the August 9, 2014 governorship poll in the state.
There was tension in Ilesa before and after the result of the senatorial election was announced on March 30. The tension was dispersed after security personnel were deployed in the town. As the election progressed on the same day, a youth who was a loyalist of the APC was also killed at Olomu community in Ife South LGA.
The Commissioner of Police in Osun State, Mr. Sam Okaula, could not be reached for comment on the effort of the command to ensure that violence does not erupt anywhere during today’s polls. He had, however, warned trouble makers in a statement he issued earlier to shun violence.
In Ogun State, Ijebu Igbo, Sagamu, Ilaro, Ado Odo-Ota and Abeokuta were identified as flash points.
Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Martin Elechi, has said there will be heavy security presence on all flash points in the state during today’s poll.
Elechi, who stated this through his Chief Press Secretary, Dr. Onyekachi Eni, said Ikwo, Ezza North and Ezza South LGAs would be given “special attention” by the police and other security agencies, taking into consideration events and violence that played out during the March 28 presidential election.
“The shooting and snatching of election materials in the state on March 28 were so common in these local government areas and almost marred the election. So, we have collaborated with the police and other security agencies to fortify security and ensure such incidents are not repeated on Saturday (today).”
The police considered the whole of Bayelsa State as flash points.
The police spokesperson for the state, Mr. Asinim Butswat, said, “We do not underrate any place. Though there are areas we expect more challenges.
“Election is different from crime. We look at the entire state as flash points and provide adequate security.”
Ughelli and Abraka in Delta State were identified as the flash points. The places are the hometowns of the APC and Labour Party candidates, Chief O’Tega Emerhor and Chief Great Ogboru.
The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Celestina Kalu, said though the police were not envisaging any problem, the police had been mobilised for any eventuality.
She said, “You know if you want peace, prepare for war. This election will be tougher and will involve more candidates. So, we will not wait for signals. We have mobilised all the area commands and divisional formations to be on the alert.”
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