March 14, (THEWILL)- Gubernatorial candidates of all political parties and other politicians in Akwa Ibom State have been warned in strong terms, to embrace peace and avoid thuggery during the March 18 gubernatorial/state house of assembly elections or face the full wrath of the law.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Olatoye Durosinmi, gave the warning on Tuesday, during the signing of the Peace Accord by gubernatorial candidates in the Command Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo.
Reminding them of the fact that they are brothers from the same state and should not do anything to jeopardize the existing peace, the Police Commissioner appealed to the gubernatorial candidates to call their supporters and followers to also embrace peace, stressing that security agencies were ready to deal decisively with those who attempt to bridge peace during the exercise.
He promised that the police and other security agencies would ensure neutrality and work with all parties to ensure peace before, during and after the elections.
“We are here to sign a peace accord. We are here to talk to each other and interact. We are to talk and see if there were lapses in the last election, that we can correct them, something we did not do well on the path of politicians.
“Anything we have not done well on the path of security agencies, we are all here to listen to you. All that we are aiming at is peaceful elections on March 18, 2023, and better elections that we all will be proud of.
“So, the gubernatorial election is the one that concerns all of us and everyone is ready but we want to sound a note of warning that in Akwa Ibom state we want to have zero tolerance to thuggery.
“We are aware that some people are going to wear oversized uniforms on that day. We are aware that some people will wear uniforms with big bears that they forgot to cut their bears, so we know them.
“We are aware to see some newly painted police or military vehicles, we are aware of it and we have remedies to it.
“The advice is that those who are planning to ferment trouble should repent and not do that as we are ready to deal with them drastically,” the CP said.
In his remarks, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Cyril Omorogbe, said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would remain an unbiased umpire for the elections.
Omorogbe, who was represented at the event by the Administrative Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Ogbodu, assured the gubernatorial candidates that materials would arrive at polling units on time.
He called on all candidates for the March 18 polls and other politicians to spread the good news of peace to their supporters and followers.
The State INEC boss urged gubernatorial candidates to be ready to accept the result of the election as only one candidate will win in the contest.
“We are here to seek peace and ensure that there will be peace before, during and after the elections. So, the call is upon the candidates and their supporters that they embrace peace before, during and after the elections.
“We are here to urge all participants, that is the candidates, to spread this to their supporters that there should be peace no matter the outcome, favourable or unfavourable because, in every contest, the position contested for will be taken by only one person.
“Two people cannot be elected into one office. So, we should have this in mind, and cultivate this culture of accepting the result the way it comes.
“On our path, we have dedicated ourselves to do our best in this state as we have done before. So, we will continue to do better.
“We will ensure that this time around, we will be very earlier with our materials and personnel. So that when we arrived early everything goes smoothly.
“We believe candidates and their supporters will accept the result in good faith and ensure that there is peace for everyone,” Omorogbe maintained.
In their separate remarks, gubernatorial candidates pledged to maintain peace but appealed to INEC to ensure the early arrival of materials to all polling units, stressing that in the February 25 elections, materials arrived at some polling units very late.
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