FIC Report (Abia State) – The Commissioner of Police in Abia, Mustapha Bala, has said the State Command will not compromise the peace and security of the state during the forthcoming Governorship and State Assembly elections.
Bala, spoke during the signing of Peace Accord by the Governorship Candidates and Chairmen of various political parties contesting for the number one seat in the State.
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission and other actors concerned with the conduct of the election to provide a level playing ground for all the Candidates participating in the election.
In a remark the INEC Admin Secretary in the State , Mr Clement Oha, assured that the Commission was making adequate arrangements for a hitch free election on March 18, 2023.
He commended the political parties and their candidates for maintaining peace in the State during and after that the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly in the state, adding that the governorship election which is more contentious demands more commitment from all political actors to ensure that peace reigns in the state during and after the election.
He said,” We are preparing for a more contentious election, therefore this peace accord is very important. I believe that Abians who are Politicians will not disappoint the Commission.
“We are prepared to deliver credible process and ensure that there will not be shortage of electoral material in any part of the state.
“We have also organized a seminar to retool our Adhoc Staff on the need to do a professional job during the election”.
Also speaking the Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Committee in the State, Chief CK Igara, urged all the Candidates and their supporters to remember that election is neither war nor do or die affairs.
He called on INEC to ensure that materials arrive on time at all the polling units across the State to ensure that no resident will be disenfranchised.
“What brings violence is injustice, politicians should know that they are Kingsmen before joining politics and they remain kinsmen after the election.
“INEC should know that it’s important that you attend to all Abians to stop in Assembly what happened during the presidential election where election materials did not get to many polling units in the State” he said.
The high point of the event was the signing of the Peace Accord by sixteen out of the eighteen Governorship candidates in the State
