Govenor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has urged security agencies and those who will be involved in the conduct of the 2019 general elections to be impartial.

The governor made the call on Monday in Asaba when the South South Zone of the Police Service Commission Monitoring Team led by Mr Austin Braimoh paid him a courtesy visit.

According to him, “Politicians should be allowed to campaign freely, they should be allowed to reach out to the people to ask for votes, but, the people must also be allowed to exercise their will freely and we expect that impartiality is carried and there is no form of intimidation of voters in the course of the election because, when such happens, it will create a lot of challenges that will run in the course of the post-election era.

“Nigerians expect that the 2019 election will be hitch free, free, fair and peaceful and the will of the people will prevail, because, the proper conduct of the elections will deepen the strength of our democracy and bring more foreign investment. If we conduct an election that does not meet global standards, it will affect our democracy and our nation.”

The Governor further said: “We pray that we conduct an election that meets global standards and is acceptable to the world; our economy is presently challenged and any further challenge will set us back that is why we are in support of this sensitisation programme and it should be taken closely to the rank and file of the Nigerian Police, because, for the electoral process to go smoothly, the Police has a lot of roles to play to boost voters confidence.

“This confidence building process will be such that will assure voters in the field of their safety and the voting process will be smooth.”

Braimoh had told Governor Okowa that they were in Delta State for re-election sensitisation programme. “Police officers on election duties have a responsibility of ensuring that peaceful atmosphere are maintained at the polling and counting centres during elections and that citizens exercise their franchise without fear of coercion, intimidation, violence or manipulation,” he said.

He commended Governor Okowa’s administration for its support to the police and listed what is expected of the police during the election.

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