The Akwa Ibom State Co
    ordinator of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs Ngozi Chukwuka, has called for stronger security measures for the safety of corps members to be used for the general elections.
Chukwuka made the call during a town hall meeting on the “Mitigation of Violence in Election (MOVE) Project facilitated by the Centre for Social Transformation and Human Development in Uyo recently.
She said NYSC had promised corps members to be deployed during the forthcoming elections, of the
safety of their lives and property.
Chukwuka urged security agencies and INEC to also ensure the safety of ad-hoc members of staff.
She said corps members had aided free, fair and credible polls in the country.
The coordinator pointed out that some corps members had been maimed or lost their lives due to electoral violence in earlier polls.
Chukwuka, represented by Mr Boniface Udoh, Assistant Director, INEC Desk, said corps members and NYSC staff members had been properly educated and informed on electoral laws.
“The introduction of corps members into the election process has aided free, fair and credible elections. We are the critical stakeholders in the elections, we have addressed ourselves on the electoral law and we imparted same to our corps members’’, he said.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Gabriel Achong, said most electoral violence were caused by actions of principal actors in elections due to their disrespect for law and order.
Achong, represented by ACP Adeshina Moronkeji, said electoral offences would not be tolerated in the general elections.
He identified electoral violence as shouting party’s slogan around polling units, being in possession of weapon, inciting disorderliness and wearing insignia of any political party.
Other are snatching/destroying materials or insulting INEC officials, possessing public address system 300 metres around polling points, loitering around polling units after being denied voting right and  intimidation of voters, among others.
Achong said the Federal Government had introduced measures to ensure free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.
He said military personnel were prepared for the elections and that those deployed to polling units would wear their name tags and could be reported to the authorities if involved in any misconduct.
“Most electoral violence are caused by actions of principal actors in elections who do not respect law and order.
“The Federal Government has introduced some measures to bring about free, fair, credible and peaceful elections, and if principal actors abide by the rules and conduct of elections, there would be no violence’’, he said.
Achong stated that INEC chairman had given assurance that with the introduction of the card reader, there would be transparency in the elections.