LAGOS CP CHARGES SECURITY AGENCIES, POLITICAL PARTIES ON PEACEFUL CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS

                                 CP Alabi Abiodun: Lagos State Police Commissioner

Critical
stakeholders in the provision of security during the elections
have once again been reminded of their responsibility to ensure that the 2023
elections in Nigeria   is conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner
devoid of rancour, malevolence, brigandage and thuggery.

This
call was made by the Lagos state commissioner of police,  CP Abiodun Alabi,
during a stakeholders meeting organized by the Lagos state police command on Tuesday in Ikeja.

The meeting involved heads of security agents in the state,
representatives of political parties, officials of the independent national
electoral commission, and the police, among other stakeholders in the state who reviewed the
security situation of the state and brainstormed on the best collaborative ways
to limit pre, during and post election violence.

    LETTER SITED BY LOB SHARED BY ADC PARTY SPOKESPERSON ,GEORGE ASHIRU AT THE STAKEHOLDERS MEETING

 Some political parties cried out over attempts by
desperate politicians to scuttle the elections and the CP admonished  all  parties and agencies to carry out political activities within the dictates of the
electoral act 2022

“we
urge the leadership of all political parties to re-dedicate themselves

towards
undertaking their campaigns and electoral activities within the dictates of the
electoral act 2022.     In the same vein, during this electoral process, the police request the
political actors gatheredhere
to pledge to denounce electoral violence, hate speech and other negative
tendencies before,during
and after the votes.

 political
violence, hate speech, threat, political intolerance, misinformation and
political extremism
are potent threats to our democracy and national security. I therefore
challenge the leadership
of political parties and candidates who are critical gatekeepers of our
democracy to demonstrate
purposeful and patriotic leadership that will guarantee a peaceful electoral
process and to develop
the culture of political tolerance and display of political maturity by
allowing healthy competition
among themselves.

“I therefore admonish politicians, political actors and political parties to
adhere to all electoral
procedures and laws, avoid the use of non-state actors and non-state security
outfits. You should
also shun all sorts of violence, vote buying and other electoral offenses
capable of marring the peaceful
outcome of this election. this is because any person or group of person found
conducting themselves
in an unlawful manner will be dealt with accordingly and the full weight of the
law will be brought to bear on such persons.”

                  HEADS OF SECURITY AGENCIES AT THE STAKEHOLDERS FORUM

Nigeria’s electoral processes
have been marred by all forms of violence. the patterns remain strong with pre
election violence recorded with over over 7 INEC offices razed by arsonist in
the last one year

Report say at least 52 cases of electoral violence across 22
states including politically motivated assassination of candidates,  had
been reported in the last few months. The heads of the nation’s security
agencies have warned officials of the political parties, to desist from
disrupting the democratic process as  the task of ensuring that election does not
just hold across the country, but holds in the most free, fair and transparent
manner is more than a duty but a sacrifice that all the critical stakeholders
must make.

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin