Police Read Riot Act Ahead Of Rerun Elections In Kano

By Adamu Aminu

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (INEC) Kano State. Professor Risqua Shehu said apart from INEC commitment to conduct free, fair and credible upcoming re-run elections, the security issue is paramount for the successful conduct of all electoral activities in the State.

Professor Risqua made the statement during a meeting of stakeholders, held Tuesday at INEC headquarters in Kano.

He said the commission has been liaising with all relevant security agencies to provide adequate security for the re-run elections in the affected local governments areas.

“They have assured us of their readiness in ensuring a safe and conducive environment for conduct of the re-run elections” he said.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner asserts that the commission finds the increasing trend of violence in recent elections very disheartening and disturbing despite all efforts to curtail it.

“It is important to note that based on security advice, no NYSC member will be posted to Bebeji local government” He assured.

He added that henceforth the commission will not allow violence to mar the credibility of the elections.

He further said the elections will be suspended in the event for the threat to the safety of voters, personal and materials.

In a remark, Police Commissioner, Kano state command,  Ahmad Sani said the command would leave no stone-unturned in taming the tide of any security issues, capable of blemishing the re-run contest in the affected neighborhoods.

” Anybody found posing threat to the peaceful conduct during the upcoming elections will be decisively dealt with in accordance with the provision of law” Commissioner cautioned.

During the interaction, most of the party stakeholders call on the electoral commission, based on the past insinuations, they deserve to be non-partisan and impartial in the course of discharging their statutory obligations.

While on the other hand, some party representatives craved the indulgence of the police commissioner with regard to the misguided and provocative statements over the media by some political bigwigs, that can lead to chaos.

According to Kano State Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the upcoming re-run elections are scheduled to be conducted on 25th January 2020 at two federal constituencies of (Kiru/Bebeji and Tudun Wada/Doguwa) and two polling units in Kumbotso federal constituency and four other state constituencies that include; Bunkure, Madobi, Minjibir and Rogo.