The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom, Mr. Olatoye Durosinmi, has warned politicians in the state to desist from using thugs during the Saturday Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections.
Durosinmi gave the warning during the signing of a peace accord by gubernatorial candidates at the police headquarters in Uyo on Tuesday.
He told the candidates that they were all brothers from the same state and should not jeopardise the existing peace in the state.
The CP appealed to the candidates to talk to their supporters and followers to also embrace peace and not to foment trouble, stressing that the security agencies were ready to deal decisively with troublemakers.
The CP said that the police and other security agencies would ensure neutrality and work with all parties to ensure peace before, during and after elections.
“We are here to sign a peace accord. We are here to talk to each other and interact. We are to talk and see if there were lapses in the last election, that we can correct something we didn’t do well on the part of politicians.
“Anything we have not done well on the part of security agencies, we are all here to listen to you. All that we are aiming at is a peaceful election on March 18, 2023, and a better election that we will be proud of.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom, Dr. Cyril Omorogbe, said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would continue to remain neutral as the umpire for the elections.
Omorogbe, who was represented by the INEC Administrative Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Ogbodu assured the gubernatorial candidates that materials would arrive at polling units on time.
He also urged the gubernatorial candidates and politicians to spread the good news of peace to their supporters and followers.
The resident electoral commissioner urged gubernatorial and state house of assembly candidates to be ready to accept the result of the election, as only one candidate would win during the contest.
“We are here to seek for peace and ensure that there will be peace before, during and after the elections.
“So, the call is for the candidates and their supporters to embrace peace before, during and after the elections.
“We urge all participants that are here to spread this to their supporters that there should be peace no matter the outcome, favourable or unfavourable, because in every contest, the position contested for will be taken by only one person.
All the gubernatorial candidates appealed to INEC to ensure early arrival of materials to all polling units, stressing that in the Feb. 25 elections materials arrived polling units very late.
They also called on the police and other security agencies in the state to be fair and remained impartial to all political parties and their candidates.
The governorship candidates from about 18 political parties signed the peace accord
