The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Police have assured of a smooth and credible governorship election in Bayelsa State on December 5, 2015.

INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and Inspector of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase gave the assurance on Tuesday in Yenagoa.

Speaking to newsmen at the Bayelsa Police Command Headquarters, the INEC boss said that he was in Bayelsa with the IGP to assure the stakeholders of the resolve of INEC to deliver a credible ballot come December 5.

Yakubu assured that there will be no interference or manipulations as the fate of the candidates lies in the hands of the voters.

His words: “We were here recently as all the candidates signed a peace pact and we are happy that they are abiding by the terms of the peace accord.

“We are here to assure everyone that no one but Bayelsa people will determine who their governor will be through the ballot; they should come out and cast their votes freely.

“The elections will be free and fair, the election has two aspects: the first is the one INEC will undertake and the second is the police aspect, and I am here with the Chief Internal Security Officer of the country, the Inspector General of Police.

“We are here to assure Bayelsa people that we have created the enabling environment for credible elections.”

Yakubu also announced that all the outstanding 52,000 Permanent Voters Cards from the Continuous Voters Registration conducted in September 2015 have been delivered to the Resident Electoral Commissioner. He said that INEC will partner the stakeholders to ensure that the cards were distributed before December 5.

Speaking, Arase said that the police was adequately prepared and ready to deploy some 14,000 officers and men and 15 units of the Police Mobile Force Men for election duties.

The IGP said that the police will replicate the success it recorded in Kogi elections two weeks ago.

“We are going to dominate the security space, we are going to have aerial surveillance, a DIG is coming to supervise the elections with additional three Commissioners, we are going to lock down the waterways,” Arase said.

Addressing the men and officers of the Command, Arase warned them to desist from unprofessional conduct that will drag the name of the force to the mud.

He urged them to uphold high standards in the interest of their future career.

“I expect the highest standards from you and I hold you in very high esteem so conduct yourselves professionally and do not sell your conscience,” the IGP said.

•Photo shows IGP Arase, (right) briefing officers and men of Bayelsa Police Command at the Command Headquarters, Yenagoa, ahead of the December 5 governorship elections.

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