As part of activities ahead the 2019 Bayelsa state governorship election, coming up on the 16th of November 2019, Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) a Non Governmental Organization, has taken its sensitization campaign to men and officers of the Nigeria Police in the local government areas.
At a sensitization workshop held at the Ogbia Divisional Command in Ogbia local government area of the state, Project Officer of SDN, Joseph Ekong, said the aim was sensitize police officers taking part in the election on need for a violence free poll.
He said there was the need to sensitize critical stakeholders, like the police, the media, Non Governmental Organizations, traditional rulers and others involved in the election on how to play by the rules.
He said, “We have been having other sensitization programmes with the securuty agencies in the state that will partake in the forth coming elections but for this particular one we decided to move down to the local government level.
Ekong, said the essence of the sensitization was to educate the police on their roles, responsibilities and duties during the election circle, “because a number of them may not really know their roles.”
“It is an assumption, so in order not to leave that gap open we decided to take a step further by coming down to the local government level to sensitize the security officers who will participate in the elections.
To have a free, fair, and violence free elections, he said SDN is also planning a stakeholders meeting that will bring on board all the stakeholders.
“Am talking about INEC, security agencies, political parties, traditional institutions, civil societies based organisations, the media. That one is going to be very big and we are planning seriously to make it an eventful activity.”
He advised all the stakeholders, especially the youths to play by the rule of the game and be law abiding.
He urged the youths in particular not to be allowed themselves to be used as tools in the hands of the corrupt memebers of the political class to forment electoral violence and fraud.
He said, the youths not only take part in electoral violence but also perpetuate electoral fraud and manipulation by hijacking ballot boxes and papers.
Speaking on the topic, ‘Roles and responsibilities of security agents in elections’, Alex Tinubu, Tinubu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, emphasized the need for the police to have awareness of the electoral law as their guide on election duties.
He urged the men and officers to improve on their communication skills and manner of approach, alertness and general conduct.
In his remark, the INEC representative, Robinson Kuro, reminded the policemen that buying and selling of votes remain an offense, and urged the police to help give information to INEC legal team to prosecute persons involved in it.
He said, “It is an electoral offence, so let’s not argue about the legal procedure for prosecution and all that. What the police is supposed to do is to help the INEC legal team investigate the matter and provide the facts that will help the INEC legal team to prosecute the person.