No fewer than 11,000 policemen have been deployed for Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, Mr. Mohammed Indabawa, announced this on Friday in Akure while briefing newsmen.
Indabawa also said a commissioner of police would handle the security apparatus in each of the senatorial districts.
He vowed that anyone caught in electoral malpractice would be treated as a criminal.
The police boss also warned politicians against inducing security agents with money, adding that the force was determined to ensure a free and fair election.
The commissioner, who warned against hawking around polling units, also advised those not on election duty to stay away.
He appealed to residents of the state to be law abiding and conduct themselves according to the electoral guidelines.
The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Awka, has dismissed the petition challenging the election of Sen. Andy Uba of the PDP as a senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District.
The petition was filed by the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate in the April, 2011, National Assembly election, Chuma Nzeribe.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday in Awka, the Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice G K Kaigama, said the petitioners failed to establish the allegation of corrupt practices.
The chairman, who added that they failed to establish allegation of falsification of results and over voting levelled against Uba, dismissed the petition
for lack of merit.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had conducted a re-run election
for the senatorial district following an allegation of electoral malpractice.
Reacting to the judgment, counsel to Nzeribe, Okwy Ejezie, said that the petitioners would appeal against the judgment, adding that the tribunal failed to address various issues raised during the trial.
“The judgment has made our case easier at the Appeal Court,’’ he said.
One of the supporters of Uba, Mr Osita Okonkwo, described the judgment of the tribunal as “erudite and well studied.’’
He said that it was ”a true reflection of the wishes of the electorate.”
