The Edo State Police Command has assured of adequate security for Thursday’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in Edo State.
The Command’s spokesman, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, stated this on Wednesday in Benin while briefing journalists on the preparedness of the Command ahead of primary elections.
He maintained that last Saturday’s delegate primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was an eye-opener for the command, assuring that the police would no longer treat any election as just party’s affairs.
Recall that violence erupted last Saturday at the collation venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s delegate election, resulting in serious injuries to some officials of the party and the destruction of journalists’ equipment.
Nwabuzor said: “You could remember that we had just a little hitch of a particular party delegate election. That has been an eye-opener to Edo State Police Command, that we should no longer see it as a party affair.”
He noted that the various delegates participating in the election “are from different communities cut across the 18 local government areas of Edo State.
“So, this time around, we are not going to view it as party affairs, we are going to view it very seriously to ensure that the right thing is done and that the lives and properties of these party members are protected.”
Commenting further on arrangements and deployment of operatives for the exercise, the Edo police spokesman said the Command is working with all other sister security agencies to ensure that we do well in this exercise.
“The Nigerian Police, Edo State Command is very, very ready to ensure that there is a peaceful, hitch-free delegate election cut across political parties in Edo state. We are ready to ensure that the lives and properties of these delegates, the party men and women are well protected and secure.
“The Commissioner of police has adequately deployed officers and men for the exercise and we believe that the number of officers, the calibre of officers and me he had deployed for this exercise, we are not hoping to see any form of violence or civil disobedience,” he said.
He however warned the participating political parties and their delegates to be of good behavior and conduct themselves in lawful manners.
“We are aware that some delegates are arriving in Benin City already and we are aware that a particular political party will be conducting a fresh delegate election tomorrow and we are equally aware that a particular political party whose election was inconclusive will be doing their own election tomorrow as well.
“So, it is a very tight schedule and we are on top of the game, we are very, very battle-ready to ensure that the right thing is done and it will come without any violence.
“The Commissioner of Police, Edo State, CP Funsho Adegboye, is appealing to party members of these different political parties in Edo state who are conducting these delegate primaries to go about it in a lawful manner according to the rules of the game.
“The Commissioner of Police, Edo State, has warned officers to arrest anyone found perpetrating or instigating violence,” he disclosed.