Deputy Inspector General of Police, Frank Mba, has advised voters in Edo State to return home immediately after casting their ballots in Saturday’s governorship election.
Gatekeepers News reports that only accredited individuals will be allowed to move around.
“Tomorrow, it is important for parents and for everybody to know that if you are not accredited to carry out any of the functions related to the election, you should not be out on the street. Just come, go out there, perform your civic duties, cast your vote, and return to your home,” DIG Mba emphasised on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Regarding preparations, Mba assured that the police have made necessary arrangements for a smooth election.
“I will say all is set; we have done our deployments, and we have taken care of all our concerns. We have made provisions for tomorrow, we have taken care of INEC headquarters, the RAC centers, and anticipated operations for tomorrow, and so we are good to go.”
On tackling vote buying, Mba acknowledged the challenge but pledged to address offenders.
“Vote buying is one of the most difficult offenses to actually police and manage… The bulk of vote buying and selling takes place in private spaces, which we cannot police. However, our pledge is that the ones that happen in public, which our security network detects and intercepts, we will deal with them.”
Edo State residents will vote for a new governor on Saturday, with 17 candidates vying for the position.
