The police have advised President Umaru Yar’Adua that it is not necessary to deploy soldiers in Ekiti for the Governorship rerun ballot on April 25.
Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, gave an assurance in Abuja on Tuesday that the police alone can provide security.
He, however, noted that Yar’Adua is not under any obligation to take the advice, being the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces who may have more knowledge on security to warrant the deployment of soldiers.
Ojukwu promised that the police would be fair to all participants in the election, and warned trouble makers to steer clear of the state.
He disclosed that the Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, has considered intelligence reports and taken steps to forestall the outbreak of anarchy before, during, and after the ballot.
He advised the two main contenders, Segun Oni of the Peoples democratic Party (PDP), and Kayode Fayemi of the Action Congress (AC) to remember the agreement they signed with Okiro, in which they promised to allow peace to reign.
Yar’Adua plans to attend a rally in Ekiti again on Thursday, along with his Deputy, Goodluck Jonathan; Senate President, David Mark; House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole; PDP National Chairman, Vincent Ogbulafor, and other top officials of the PDP rooting for Oni.
Chairman of the Media and Publicity Sub-committee of PDP National Campaign Committee for Ekiti Rerun Election, Ebenezer Babatope, said the grand rally will take place at Ekiti Parapo College, Ido-Ekiti.
But former Governor Niyi Adebayo, a member of the AC, described the frequent visits of PDP officials to the state as evidence of Oni’s failure during his 21 months as Governor until he was sacked by the Appeal Court.
Another member of the party, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, appealed to the people of Ekiti to vote for Fayemi because his ‘”commitment to good governance, accountability and transparency as well as his laudable programmes on education, agriculture, and infrastructure development make him the right man for Ekiti State at this critical moment in history.'”