GOVERNORSHIP POLL •4 CPs, 11,000 policemen for election •Army deploys more soldiers •Tension grips politicians 600 journalists accredited

Across the three senatorial districts of Ondo State, security and other preparations for today’s governorship election are apparently unprecedented.
Apart from a police commissioner earlier posted to oversee the election, additional three commissioners of police arrived the state on Friday fortified with 11,000 fully armed policemen.
The three commissioners of police were drafted to take charge of each of the three senatorial districts in the state.
This is in addition to combat ready soldiers who were given orders to shoot trouble makers on Thursday. The number of the soldiers deployed for the exercise increased overnight. Road blocks were mounted in strategic places by stern-looking soldiers in battle gear.
Across the state, politicians made last minute preparations for the polls amid tension.
The Commissioner of Police deployed in the state for the election, Mohammed Indabawa, confirmed the deployments and the tight security arrangements while speaking in Akure with newsmen on the preparation of the command for the election.
According to him, the men of the command had been directed to arrest anybody found fomenting trouble during the election.
He said, “The Nigeria Police is ready to provide security during this election, I therefore want to tell troublemakers to keep away from the state as the police will not condone any act of vandalism.
“The state is bigger than any individual, so we expect the people to conduct themselves with decorum, if you have no business at the polling unit do not bother to go there.
“There will be no loitering around the polling stations, no selling of foods around the polling stations, we want to ensure that this election is better than that of Edo state”.
He said people would not be allowed to carry offensive items and arms around on the election day, adding that it is also an offence to come to polling station with party symbols.
Mohammed, however, said no curfew had been placed on the state, adding that there would only be restriction on movement as people coming into the state would be thoroughly searched.
The Police commissioner said, “This election is about the integrity of Nigeria and not that of Ondo state alone and all stakeholders must be ready to make the election a model”.
Also speaking, the spokesman of the Nigerian Army for the Ondo operation, Lieutenant Emmanuel Onoja, said men of the Army had been deployed in every part of the state.
He however said he could not be categorical on the number of men deployed for the operation as more of them were still being expected by Friday evening.
Onoja said, “The issue is that we have more men to cover the state and we are still expecting more of them to fortify security of the state.”
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday sent the election materials to the 18 local government areas of the state.
The materials for Ilaje and Ese-Odo local government areas were sent on Thursday, while those of others were deployed on Friday.
The materials were said to have been sent to the two riverrine local government areas on Thursday in order to guide against late arrival of
materials in the councils.
Also, members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) employed for the election were also transported to the various local government areas to work.
soldiers have completely taken over security in and around Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Between Iju and Itaogbolu in Akure North Local Government Area of the state, two military checkpoints were in operation with soldiers searching every vehicle moving in and out of of the state thorugh Iju, the boundary community between Ondo and Ekiti states.
The soldiers were checking the contents of the boots bonnets of vehicles.
Inside the town, soldiers are stationed at the First Bank Junction at Alagbaka and in front of the Cultural Centre.
In a related development, more than 600 journalists from various local news organisations from in the country were still being accredited as of 7.00 p.m. on Friday.
The Media/Election Observers’ Centre in the premises of INEC at Alagbaka Estate in the state capital was a beehive with officials of the commission and journalists, who were trying to get accreditation to cover the election exercise.
Tension in Ilaje over suspected cultists
Tension was said to have heightened in Arogbo Ijaw in the riverrine area of Ondo state few hours to the election.
Four speed boats belonging to suspected cults allegedly terrorising the people of the area was also said to have been impounded by the people of the community and handed over to the Naval authorities in the area.
Saturday Tribune learnt that no fewer than 20 young men suspected to be cult members have been terrorising the people and damaging campaign materials of those opposed to their candidate.
The boys, who were said to be moving in four speed boats with red head tie and red beret cap were allegedly being groomed by a political office holder from the local government.
However, some people in the community led by the leader of the ex militant in the area, High Chief Bibopri Ajube were said to have chased the boys which made them to abandon their speed boats and ran away.
The speed boats were later said to have been confiscated and handed over to the Navy in Ukparamo town.
The tension in the area was however said to have been worsened by the activities of some security operatives attached to a senior political office holder from the area.
The men of the Army were said to be terrorising the boat operators in Arogbo, while efforts were being made to cross two Hilux vans with federal government plate number across the Arogbo water.
Ondo ministries, banks close at noon
Meanwhile, ahead of today’s governorship election, ministries, banks and some other institutions on Friday closed for the day at about 12 p.m in Akure, the Ondo State capital, and some other parts of the state.
This was in compliance with the state government’s directive declaring half day for workers to enable them prepare adequately for the election.
The Secretary to the Ondo State Government, Dr Rotimi Adelola, had said in a statement on Thursday that the gesture was to allow the workers participate in Saturday’s election.
He said the government took the decision having realised that some citizens of the state had to travel to where they had registered for the election some years ago.
“The government thought there is need to give our people the chance and the opportunity to get to where they can exercise their franchise,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the state secretariat, local government secretariats, banks as well as some other institutions were virtually empty as at 12:30 p.m.
A civil servant, Mr James Olowoyo, told NAN that civil servants were happy about the decision as it would allow them to prepare for the election.
The Abuja and Lagos motor parks in Akure were, however, empty as at 2:p.m when a NAN correspondent visited the two parks.
Some residents attributed the development to the long distances of the destinations such as Abuja, Lagos and Lokoja.
A commuter, Mrs Grace Jinadu, who was sighted at Abuja motor park, said she was disappointed that she could not get a vehicle to Lokoja as at 2: p.m.
Business activities were, however, going on uninterrupted in Akure, Owo, Ondo and other major towns in the state.
Commercial motorcyclists in the state capital were also making brisk business as many increased their fares by as much as 50 per cent due to the heavy human traffic.
NAN also observed that there were long queues at ATM machines in most of the banks’ premises due to the early closure of banking halls to customers.
A resident, Mr Busari Adekola, said he was surprised to discover that his bank had closed for business as at early afternoon.
‘’Thank God, I was able to cash some money with my ATM card for the use of the family during the weekend,'' Adekola said.