By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto
The Sokoto State Commissioner of Police Muhammad Usaini Gumel made this known while addressing the gathering of political Parties stakeholders.
The key reason for organising the meeting is to talk to each other and agree on how to manage the expected the political competitions and some emerging conflicts along those lines in a peaceful way as well as discuss on how to provide all the required security support for the political players to play the game according to the rules and decorum.
Most often, the Commissioner said political violence was as a result of systematic, long standing and unresolved grievances either real or perceived, and a conviction that they cannot be resolved through the existing political ORDER or that the contending parties determining that it is the last resort to attain victory despirately at the polls or settle scores.
With the ongoing, the CP said Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba summoned all the Police Strategic Commanders across the country to reaffirm the mandate and responsibilities of the force during and after the electioneering campaigns and election proper.
He added that the IGP has directed all Commissioners of Police to liaise with the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners and leaderships of all political parties across the country to develop a mutually agreed campaigns timetable that will address possible conflicts in terms of date, time and venue of the activities.
However, Gumel made it clear that the Nigeria Police Force in the performance of ensuring the safety and security of all persons and properties that would be involved in the entire Electoral process without bias, as well as strict enforcement of the Constitution of Nigeria and the security of the public space towards guaranteeing a crime free and enabling environment for political campaigns and other components of the Electoral processes to thrive, will maintain an oath of neutrality in accordance with the Electoral Act.
He further informed the gathering that Peace agreement architecture is one of the inspirations and the first phase in the Electoral cycle with the believe that the gathering is part of the cycle.
Representatives of the Sultanate Council, Ministry of information and all the security agencies in the state confirmed their willingness to support the Constitutional Provisions regarding the elections.
State Commandant of the NDLEA, Muhammmad Iro advised political chieftains to desist from giving drugs to youths to act violenlently under the influence of the drugs for them to achieve their goals.
Representatives of Political parties all vowed for peace conduct of campaigns and General elections.
