THE Cross River State Police Command has deployed 5,500 personnel for bye-elections in Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo State Constituency on Saturday.
Spokesperson of the Police Command Irene Ugbo disclosed this in an interview with The ICIR on Friday.
Ugbo said intelligence officers were also deployed to provide adequate security during and after the polls.
“Yes we are ready for the election. It is true we have deployed 5,500 men and women for the election.
“We are working closely with other sister security agencies such as the navy, airforce and others. I am confident the election will go well,” she said.
There is tension in Cross River State as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) battle over Yala/Ogoja federal constituency and Akpabuyo state constituency seats in the National Assembly and state house of assembly, respectively.
The chairman of the PDP in the state Venatius Ikem had raised the alarm over an alleged plan by the APC to rig the election.
Ikem, who spoke with journalists at the state party secretariat, said the APC had concluded plans to manipulate the election by deploying the military to intimidate and harass voters.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fixed the bye-elections following vacancies in Ogoja/Yala federal constituency and Akpabuyo state constituency.
The Commission scheduled bye-elections for six constituencies in four states to fill vacancies in the National Assembly and some state assemblies.
The bye-elections are for Akure North/Akure South Federal Constituency, Ondo State; Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency, Plateau State; Pankshin South State Constituency, Plateau State; Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, Cross River State; Akpabuyo State Constituency, Cross River State and Ngor-Okpala State Constituency, Imo State.
A reporter with the ICIR
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