By Flowerbudnews
The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu, has warned trouble makers and anti-social groups to steer clear of the state council polls slated for Sept. 21.
Recall that Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) had slated the council polls across all the 4,145 polling units, 260 political wards and 17 council areas of the state.
Uzuegbu gave the warning on Friday in Enugu during a joint security meeting of all heads of security agencies in the state to conclude security arrangements ahead of the state’s Saturday polls.
According to him, trouble makers and anti-social groups, who might want to foment trouble and cause breach of peace during the polls, will be dealt with summarily.
He said that the security agencies, working jointly, were fully committed to peaceful, fair and credible polls.
“Criminal elements and trouble makers that may want to foment trouble during the polls should steer clear as the security forces are geared up to deal decisively with such negative activities.
“The security agencies will not spare anyone obstructing the electoral process tomorrow (Sept. 21) as such a person or persons will face the full weight of the law,” he said.
Speaking on the final stage of preparation, the Chairman of ENSIEC, Prof. Christian Ngwu, said that the commission had started the dispatch of the sensitive material and electoral officers to the various council headquarters in the state.
Ngwu, who monitored the sorting and loading process of the sensitive materials, noted that “at this stage, we are 100 per cent fully prepared for the polls”.
“ENSIEC is assuring peaceful, fair, credible and transparent polls.
“The commission is equally promising to provide all the 17 political parties taking part in the polls a level playing field.
“Eligible voters should troop out en masse to exercise their franchise as the security agencies are giving the whole electoral process adequate protection.
“I will also sound a note of warning to trouble makers to steer clear of the polls as we are ready, determined and with robust plans to ensure everything goes smoothly,” he said.
He said that by 8a.m. dot, electoral materials and electoral staff would be on ground in each polling unit in the state.
“We have made adequate arrangements to ensure early commencement of voting, which will end by 3p.m.
“Even the weather will not stop the polls; as we have directed electoral staff to find a way to continue their work while it is raining,” he said.
Over two million voters would be eligible to vote in the polls.
The voting will be done to fill 17 chairmanship and 260 political ward councillorship positions within the 17 council areas in Enugu State.
A total of 4,145 security personnel have been deployed for the polls and they would man 4,145 polling units in the state.
It would be at least a fully armed security man per polling unit.
ENSIEC also recruited and trained 12,800 ad hoc electoral staff for the polls.
