Jega
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, has assured that it will not be possible for anybody to vote during the 2015 elections with stolen Permanent Voter’s Card.
Reechoing INEC’s assurance , the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Dan Bature, also said the state police command has put in place adequate security measures to ensure a hitch-free election in the state, warning that violators of electoral laws would be dealt with.
The warning was issued at a stakeholders’ interactive forum organised by INEC and the Rivers State Police command held in Port Harcourt.
Jega who was represented at the forum by the Supervisory National Commissioner in-charge of INEC, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom and Cross Rivers states, Thelma Iremiren, said the electronic devise used in making the PVC would make it impossible to be used by any other person who is not the owner.
The INEC Chairman called for the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure a hitch-free election in February 2015, saying the Commission intends to use the PVC to further give credibility to the electoral exercise.
He also called on eligible voters in Rivers State who were yet to register to use the opportunity of the PVC registration exercise, starting from seven local government areas of the state to do so.
He said; “2015 Elections: State of Preparedness of Security Agencies”, Rivers Commissioner of Police, Bature, said, “there can be elections without democracy, but there can no democracy without elections.”
For his part, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Alkali Shiaba who represented Dan Bature said the 2015 elections in the state must be free and fair and devoid of undue “inappropriate pressure.”
While assuring that the state police command was fully prepared for the elections, he however said the realities of the political environment in the state made it pertinent for a close synergy between the security agencies and all stakeholders.
He said the police was prepared for the security of lives, safety of electoral officers/observers, candidates during rallies and election materials, before, during and after the elections.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), INEC, Rivers State, Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak, admonished all eligible voters to ensure that they got registered.
He said anybody who does not have an authentic PVC would not be allowed in the 2015 elections, advising the electorate to use the opportunity provided by the PVC registration exercise and the Continuous Voters Register (CVR) to get registered.
The Rivers REC also said INEC would conduct a free, fair and peaceful election in 2015, assuring that the electoral body would be a neutral umpire in the electoral exercise.
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