President Muhammadu Buhari has urged political stakeholders in Rivers State to ensure that Saturday’s legislative re-run election in the state is peaceful and orderly, adding that the election should not be treated as a do-or-die affair.

Buhari called on political parties and their candidates as well as the people of the state to create an atmosphere that is devoid of rigging, violence and intimidation of opponents and electoral officials.

“The rerun elections should not be seen as a do-or-die affair to the extent that people will be killed, maimed and property destroyed in a mindless display of crude primitive instincts,” the president said.

“Innocent blood should never be sacrificed on the altar of political contest for temporary power.”

President Buhari charged the security and law enforcement agencies to be professional and non-partisan in the discharge of their duties even in the face of extreme provocations.

He also directed them to ensure that trouble-makers are fished out and decisively dealt with.

Buhari called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct the re-run election with all fairness and transparency, to reflect the will of the people of Rivers State.

The president restated his administration’s commitment to deepen democracy in the country through a culture of free, fair and credible elections.