Except the incumbent governor Rochas Okorocha, other Imo State governorship candidates including Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Osmond Ukanacho United Progressive Party (UPP) were present at the State police command to sign the long awaited police peace accord. The Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere who represented the governor was not allowed to sign the papers.
Speaking during the brief ceremony, the commissioner of police Imo State Command Abdulmajid Ali warned politicians including the governorship candidates of all parties to avoid any act capable of disrupting the peaceful conduct of the general elections. He however regretted the absence of the state governor Rochas Okorocha.
He banned all local security outfits and insists that the command will only allow the nation’s recognised security operatives to monitor the general elections. The Director of State Security Olusegun Adegboye said that thugs carrying arms and ammunition would not be tolerated on the day of elections. “Only approved security agents would be allowed to monitor the election. We are prepared for the election as we are not going to tolerate any act that will jeopardise peaceful conduct of the election.”
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Gabriel Ada said that the commission has prepared itself including the readiness of the staff for the election and about 4.4 million PVCs in the state have been distributed. Ada stated that the commission in the state has received 15,000 card readers as “every polling booth has card reader attached to it.” He urged the governorship candidates to canvas for votes as snatching of ballot boxes during the general elections would not be useful to any of the candidates.
The AIG zone 9, Buhari Usman was present and the event attracted all the security operatives and other paramilitary agencies such as Customs, Immigration, Civil Defence and Nigerian Prisons.