Abia CP Warns Politicians Against Unguarded Utterances

The Commissioner of
Police in Abia, Mr Habila Joshak, has urged politicians in the state to avoid provocative and unguarded utterances that could heat up the polity.
Joshak, who assumed duty in the state last Thursday, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Umuahia, recently.
He advised the politicians “to play the game according to the rules’’ in order to ensure smooth and peaceful conduct of the forthcoming general elections in the state.
“Campaigns must be issue-based,’’ he said, adding that politicians should utilise the campaign period to showcase their manifestos to the electorate.
“Unguarded utterances, propaganda, blackmail and other acts that are inimical to the smooth conduct of the elections will not be tolerated.
“There should be respect for other people’s opinion,’’ Joshak said.
He added that people should be allowed to vote for candidates of their choice “without any form of intimidation.’’
According to him, people should not be coerced to accept a particular candidate.
He disclosed that plans were underway by the command to bring all the candidates for the elections in the state to sign a peace accord.
The police boss said that there would be a forum for all the candidates to “discuss and agree so that we can have free, fair and credible elections in the state.’’
He said that the police had carried out “threat analysis’’ on state-by-state and local government-by-local government basis and on areas that were prone to election crisis.
He added that the analysis also focused on some individuals.
“A lot of intelligence gathering is currently going on. We have mobilised and reinforced in the areas that could be prone to election crisis,’’ Joshak said.
He stressed that the command would deal with anybody that would cause violence before, during and after the polls and warned troublemakers “to relocate from the state or be prepared to face the full wrath of the law.’’
Joshak disclosed that he met “motivated and willing police officers and men’’ in the state who, according to him, are ready to provide an environment that is devoid of violence and rancour for smooth and peaceful elections.
‘’What we intend to achieve is a conducive atmosphere for the people to go about their normal businesses without fear of molestation and to protect the citizenry against crime and criminality.
‘’We will protect the electorate, all the election officials as well as local and international observers during the polls,’’ he assured.