Bye-elections: Police restrict movements in 36 LGAs of 11 states

The Nigeria Police Force has issued warnings to members of the public restricting movements in 36 local government areas where bye-elections will be held today 5th of December, 2020 by the Independent National Electoral Commission in 11 states across the country.

The affected states are Bayelsa, Borno, Bauchi, Cross River, Enugu, Imo, Katsina, Kogi, Lagos, Plateau and Zamfara.

This is coming amid conflicting court verdicts over party candidates for the election and conflict in some states.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos State, Muyiwa Adejobi, released a statement titled ‘Lagos East Senatorial and Kosofe Constituency II bye-elections: Police declare restriction order, sue for peaceful conduct’.

He also announced on Twitter the restriction of movements from 6am to 6pm in Somolu, Kosofe, Epe, Ikorodu and Ibeju-Lekki LGAs in the state.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, added that the restriction was in place to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

The statement said the command had deployed a reasonable number of police personnel and other security agents to cover and provide security at the 1,928 polling units in the areas.

The commissioner of police reiterated that there would not be both vehicular and pedestrian movements in and out of the affected local government areas during the elections except those on election duties, essential services and accredited domestic and foreign election observers.

The police boss, however, warned the electorate and political gladiators to play the game according to the rules and provisions of the Electoral Acts, 2010.

He also warned that no police aides or security agents would be allowed to escort their principals or any Very Important Personalities to the polling units.

According to a statement on the website of INEC, about 151 candidates will take part in the elections to fill vacancies in the 11 states occasioned mostly by deaths and resignation to contest higher offices.

A breakdown of the candidates in the bye-elections indicates that while Bayelsa Central Senatorial District has 11 candidates, Bayelsa West Senatorial District has 13.

Others are Nganzai and Bayo constituencies in Borno State ( 14); Dass State Constituency in Bauchi (10); Cross River North Senatorial District (9); Obudu Constituency in Cross River (6); and Isu-Uzo State Constituency in Enugu (9).

There are also Imo North Senatorial District (14); Bakori State Constituency in Katsina State (13); Ibaji State Constituency in Kogi State (8); Lagos East Senatorial District (12); Kosofe II Constituency in Lagos State (8); Plateau South Senatorial District (10) and Bakura State Constituency in Zamfara State (14).

While the election is taking place, reports show that there is crisis in Cross River North Senatorial District in the race to replace Senator Rose Okoh, who died early this year.

This is because two courts of equal jurisdictions had Wednesday in Abuja and Calabar issued conflicting orders.

But in the final list released by INEC, the name of Dr. Stephen Odey is recognised as the authentic candidate.

For the Imo North Senatorial election, though the name of Ifeanyi Ararume is released by INEC in the final list, a Court of Appeal has ruled directing the name of Frank Ibezim should replace that of Ararume.

However, a federal high court in Abuja disqualified Ibezim as candidate of the APC in the bye-election for making false declaration in the documents he submitted to INEC.

The court directed INEC to expunge Ibezim’s name from the list of candidates for the bye-election.