2015: Police charge political parties, candidates to play by the rules

The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Hassan Karma has charged all the political parties and their standard bearers to embrace the February 14 and 28 general elections in the spirit of sportsmanship.

www.odogwublog.com reports that Karma, who made the call in Awka on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ interactive session aimed at reaching a peace accord towards ensuring violent-free and credible polls in the state.

He told the gladiators to pursue their political ambitions within the armpits of the law and desist from invectives that could breed disaffection, bloodshed and possible breakdown of law and order.

His words: “None of your ambitions should be greater than the peace and collective security of the people. We shall not hesitate to arrest and bring to book anyone who goes contrary to the laws of the land. Sponsors violence and their supporters in any guise or form, would surely be prosecuted.

In the meeting entitled “Towards credible and non-violence elections” which was attended by various heads of security agencies, INEC, political parties and their standard bearers in the state, the State Police boss cautioned  politicians to shun campaign of calumny, destruction of  billboards and posters.

He equally re-assured that the Police and the entire security outfits in the state were poised to ensuring adequate electoral security, credibility of electoral process and impartiality of law enforcement officials.


In a remarks, the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for Anambra North district, Mr Dubem Obaze, alleged that he had replaced more than 21 billboards destroyed by his political opponents, even as he beckoned on the state government and the security agencies to nip the situation in the bud.

On her part, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate for Awka North House of Assembly in the state legislative arm,  Princess (Mrs.) Rebecca Udoji, stressed the need for the posting of adequate security personnel to areas were elections are prone to rigging in the state, as that would give credibility to the forthcoming polls.

In his submission, a representative of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr. Michael Nwuleli, averred that the electoral umpire was working towards ensuring credible, free and fair elections in the country.

Nwuleli, while advising  political parties to submit the names of their polling agents at least seven days before the election for onward production of tags to be used at the various polling booths,  informed aggrieved political parties to seek redress at the court over alleged campaigns being carried out by candidates not listed by the commission for the elections.

Some other candidates and representatives of political parties who spoke at the occasion raised concerns over issues of multiple candidates and destruction of billboards by opposition parties.