FG Deploys 5, 000 Officers for Lagos By-Election Today …Restricts Movements

No fewer than 5,000 security agents will be out today to ensure a hitch free by-election for the replacement of a Federal lawmaker from Lagos, who died last August.
The late Mr. Adewale Elijah, who was a member of the House of Representatives from Ifako-Ijaiye Federal Constituency, slumped and died in his Abuja home. The National Electoral law stipulates that such vacancy should be filled within 90 days after the death of a member.
According to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, the election will be monitored by the Police and other security agencies to ensure peace. He said that there would be restriction of human and vehicular movement in the Ifako-Ijaiye area throughout today.
Owoseni spoke yesterday when political gladiators jeering up to step into the dead man’s shoe met in his office and pledged to play by the rules.
Also at the meeting were officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and officers from the military, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Owoseni said that the 5,000 security personnel were drawn from all the security agencies.
The police boss said that the military had been ordered to enforce the restriction order, as he warned troublemakers to keep away from the area during the election.
”The main reason for this meeting is for stakeholders to have understanding on the need for a peaceful election,” he said. “This meeting is an opportunity for candidates to sign an undertaking for a peaceful exercise. As candidates and leaders to be, you must be able to control your supporters and agents to be of good behaviour. Political office holders are warned from moving freely with their security aides during the election. No vehicle is permitted to go close to any polling boots. The accreditation and voting commence same time. Anyone with observation should reach the officials and not to take laws into his hands.”
INEC’s Supervising Officer in South-West, Chief Shoyebi Adedeji, announced at the parley that all sensitive materials had been distributed to all the wards.
Political parties that signed the peace accord included the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).