The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has advised residents of Edo State to cast their votes during the governorship election on Saturday and return home immediately afterward.
The Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) overseeing security for the election, Frank Mba, emphasized that only accredited individuals would be allowed on the streets during the voting process.
In an interview on Channels Television on Friday, Mba outlined the measures in place to ensure a peaceful election.
He announced that there would be restrictions on vehicular movement from 6 am to 6 pm, a decision made in response to citizens’ complaints about the election environment.
“It is important for everybody to know that if you are not accredited to carry out functions relating to the election, you shouldn’t be out on the streets,” Mba stated.
He urged residents to fulfill their civic duties by voting and returning home safely.
Mba acknowledged the unique challenges posed by the off-cycle nature of the election, which has attracted political sympathizers from various states.
“Whenever there is an off-cycle election, it simply means that there are a lot of spare hands from other states of the federation, so you are going to have party members from all divides,” he explained.
He reassured that the police are committed to providing security for all participants in the election, including journalists, observers, and politicians present in the state.
As Edo residents prepare to go to the polls to elect a successor to Godwin Obaseki, who is completing his two-term tenure, 17 political parties are vying for the governorship.
However, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Labour Party (LP) are the major contenders in this critical election.
