9,000 Security Men For Sokoto Guber Poll

No fewer than 9,000 security operatives have been deployed to cover the election in Sokoto State today, Sokoto State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Baba Adisa Bolanta, who yesterday confirmed to LEADERSHIP WEEKEND that 5,000 of his men would join other para-military officers comprising of the SSS, Immigration Services, Civil Defense Corps, Customs, Federal Road Safety Corps, and the Nigerian Prisons Service.

The contest is seen as a straight fight between the immediate past governor Wamako of the PDP and Ahmed Kebbe of the ANPP.

Briefing newsmen, the state  commissioner of police, Alhaji Adisa Baba Bolanta urged the people of the state to report any suspicious activity in the state.

According him, the state has been enjoying relative peace, so those who want to break the law would be punished.

LEADERSHIP WEEKEND reported that both former minister and Senator Gada were absent in the last campaign held in Bodinga local government area of Sokoto state.
Meanwhile, INEC has expressed its readiness to hold election in Sokoto today. 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday released a list of thirty candidates contesting the election.

Also, Nigeria’s Election Management Body (EMB) expressed its readiness to conduct the election.

Sokoto is among five states which did not hold governorship election in April 2011 because of a court ruling that extended the tenure of the incumbents.

A statement circulated to newsmen by the commission’s Director, Public Affairs,
Emmanuel Umenger, disclosed that the election will take place in 3,035 Polling Units (PUs) across the twenty three local government areas in the state.

“11,514 officials will be deployed by the Commission to conduct the governorship election.  This  number  is  made  up  of  Supervisors, Collation Officers and Presiding Officers. Sokoto state has 2,267,509 registered voters.

Meanwhile, the Commission in the state has distributed non-sensitive materials to all the local government areas for onward deployment to the 244 registration areas centre in readiness for the election. Sensitive materials would be deployed 48 hours to the poll.” INEC’s statement detailed.