The Federal Government on Thursday shut all the country’s land borders till 6am on Monday to ensure a peaceful and hitch-free conduct of the presidential election.
It added that vehicular movement would not be allowed nationwide from 8 am to 5pm tomorrow, the day of the election.
The Minister of Interior, Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho (retd.) announced this just as the Police also said that movement would be restricted from 10pm today till 6am tomorrow nationwide.
Ihenacho’s statement was made available shortly after the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, assured of the commission’s readiness for the poll.
The minister, in the statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Alhaji S.B. Osigiza, explained that only INEC vehicles, security operatives specially assigned for election duties as well as those on essential and emergency duties would be allowed to ply the roads.
Also, the Nigerian Police Force, through its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Olusola Amore, said in Abuja that there would be restriction of movement of persons from 8am to 6pm on Saturday within the voting areas and centres.
It added that the restriction order was to enable law enforcement agents checkmate miscreants, thugs and other criminals who might want to use the cover of darkness to interrupt the smooth conduct of the elections.
A statement by Amore reads, “The police will not condone any act or conduct that is detrimental to the smooth conduct of the election as any trouble makers will be arrested and dealt with according to the law.
“The police are using this medium to assure all Nigerians that all law enforcement agents are working in collaboration to ensure violence free and fair elections.
“All eligible voters are advised to go out and cast their votes without fear of molestation and they are also enjoined to leave the immediate voting vicinity and allow their various party agents to take care of protecting and watching all vote cast until they are duly counted and recorded by the INEC officials.”
Also on Thursday, Jega directed all presiding officers of INEC to paste results of elections at the polling units.
He explained while receiving the European Union election observation group that the order was necessary to guarantee transparency and ensure greater fairness in the polling process.
Jega, who advised voters to ensure that returning officers pasted results at the polling units after tabulation, expressed worry that the commission received reports that results were not pasted in some polling units during last Saturday’s National Assembly elections.
“Once the results are tabulated, they must be pasted. This is in order to bring additional credibility in the polling process,’’ he said.
The INEC chairman also expressed the commission’s readiness for the presidential poll.
He said that the states had taken delivery of all the materials needed for the exercise.
Jega acknowledged hitches witnessed at the National Assembly election, including the late commencement of voting due to the late arrival of materials and some missing names in the voters’ register.
He said, “Some of the challenges of accreditation have been addressed. We have also taken steps to correct the omission of names of voters from the register at some polling centres.
“We hope their will be remarkable improvement by next Saturday,” he said.
Jega expressed his appreciation to the EU for its contribution to the achievements of the Commission since he assumed office.
Earlier, the EU Chief Observer, Alojz Peterlez, had commended INEC for a successful National Assembly elections.
Peterlez said the mission of the group was to ascertain the commission’s preparations for presidential poll.
By Olusola Fabiyi and Adelani Adepega Courtesy Of: Punch
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