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Monday, October 1, 2012

Group demands soldiers, police neutrality



Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar

Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar
| credits: File copy

Ahead of October 20 Ondo State governorship election, a group, Ondo State Progressives, has demanded neutrality from soldiers and police during the poll.

The group said at a press conference in Lagos on Monday it would resist any attempt by security agents to take sides in the poll.

Chairman of the group, Mr. Dele Okeigbo, said the warning was necessary to avoid bloodletting as witnessed in 1983.

Okeigbo also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to give every party a level-playing ground to operate in order to avoid chaos.

Okeigbo said, “Soldiers can be deployed in the state but they should be neutral during the election. They should play their roles professionally and not to take sides.

“As a group, we want the best election conducted in our state. We do not want chaos; we want INEC to give every party the opportunity to exercise their franchise. We do not want bloodletting as we experienced in 1983.

“The electorate should vote wisely for the right candidate and party that will move the state forward. Ondo is our own and its interest must be protected.

“Ondo is a volatile place and they can easily be provoked if there is a kind of manipulation. Our people know their rights and let nobody provoke them.”

Okeigbo said the group had enlightened the electorate to have it at the back of their minds that their votes remains their power and they should preserve their future by voting conscientiously.

“The voters must continue to guard their votes. They must vote for people who can deliver,” Okeigbo said.

More Stories in Countdown to Ondo gov poll

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Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko

Source : punchng[dot]com

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