The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), the state Police Command, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) and other stakeholders have assured residents a credible and violence-free local government election schedule for tomorrow, Saturday.
The stakeholders at a joint press conference held at the Oyo state Police Command Headquarters, Eleyele Ibadan, the Capital City of the state on Friday pledged to ensure a transparent, credible, free and fair local government elections across all the geo political zones of the state.
All the security chiefs at the press conference maintained that the State will not tolerate anything that will disrupt peace enjoyed in the state, before, during and after the polls.
He vowed that trouble-makers would face the full wrath of the law when apprehended.
Oyo state commissioner of Police, CP Adebola Hamzat stressed there would be the restriction of movement tomorrow between 8am and 6pm.
He noted that no individual or political figure will be allowed to go to polling boot with any security guard.
He further disclosed that over 12,000 security personnel have been deployed to ensure peaceful conduct of the election.
He also confirmed the attack on the OYSIEC staff in Okeho.
In his breakdown, CP Adebola Hamzat said, “8,000 police personnel, 2,125 operatives from sister services and other agencies have been deployed to ensure safety of residents before, during and after the elections across the state.”
He added that the released list of personnel did not include the Military arm.He assured that every areas of the state is covered.
In his words, the OYSIEC chairman, Isiaka Olagunju (SAN), said “though all political parties signed the Peace Accord on Monday, the Commission will not allow any harassment, threat or security breach at the poll.
Olagunju also confirmed attack on OYSIEC staff at Okeho part of the state on Thursday, but noted that no material was carted away by the hoodlums.
He said, “all the material both sensitive and insensitive are intact. I know our security agencies are working to ensure the immediate arrest of those suspected hoodlums to serve as deterrent to others.”
“Our mission is to represent the will of people in the state, we are not for any political party, we must all play according to the rule for the election to be credible, peaceful and credible.”
“We are ready to ensure the election is violence-free, credible and acceptable. It will start by 8am and end by 3pm but anybody on queue by 3pm will still be allowed to vote. There will be restriction of vehicular movement between 8am-6pm tomorrow.” Olagunju said.