The Port Harcourt branch of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, over the weekend agreed that they will ensure that the coming poll in the state is crisis-free.
The two Guberatorial Candidates of the PDP, Chief Nyesom Wike, and his counterpart in the APC, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, made this promise in a meeting with the newly appointed Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG, Zone 6, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin.
APC Governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Peterside also called on the Police to ensure they protect lives and property of members of his party, adding that in the state, his party has been a subject of several politically induced attacks.
The newly appointed AIG said the essence of the meeting between the two main political stakeholders in the state was to reach an agreement on peaceful conduct of the general elections, noting that his boys were ready to secure the lives and property of people of the state.
Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin said, “I have a mandate from the Inspector General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, to ensure that elections are peaceful in my zone.
“The law is no respecter of anybody, no matter how highly placed. As such, political activities must effectively accommodate the interests of all without undermining the fundamental human rights of the citizens and without also compromising the peace, order, security and safety of lives and property in Rivers State.
“This is very essential as I will not compromise anything that will cause a breach of public peace, riotous conduct and any other act likely to cause a breakdown of law and order in any of the four states under my control.
“As part of a wider strategy to ensure that electoral offenders are dealt with decisively, upon assumption of office as the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 6, Calabar, I set up a Special Investigation Team on Electoral Offences to deal with electoral complaints and offences. I have directed all my Commissioners of Police to also constitute Special Squads on Electoral Offences and transfer all electoral offenders to my office in Calabar during and after the elections.”
