With less than 24 hours to the rescheduled gubernatorial and state House of Assembly election in Bauchi State, the state police command yesterday declared a 24-hour restriction on movement across the state, especially for people travelling from outside the state.
The state police commissioner, Amanam John Abakasanga, who addressed journalists at the command headquarters in Bauchi on Tuesday, said the imposition of the restriction was to curtail the breakdown of law before, during and after the gubernatorial polls in the state.
“In preparation for the gubernatorial elections in the state, the Inter Agency Committee on the 2011 general elections have placed a restriction of movement 24 hours before the elections, which takes place on Thursday,” Mr Abakasanga said. “This is in addition to the dusk to dawn curfew in the state which remains in force. By implication, beginning from 6pm of today (yesterday) when the curfew commences, restriction of movement continues till completion of elections.”
He explained that the 24 hours restriction of movement from Tuesday till Friday became necessary to prevent people or hoodlums from neighbouring states into Bauchi to disrupt the elections.
Reacting to allegations from opposition parties in the state that the state government provides permit for movement to members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the police boss said the command has stopped the government from doing this because, according to him, politicians were abusing the privilege.
He warned that violation of the restriction of movement for the purpose mentioned would be severely sanctioned.
Lift curfew
Meanwhile, a coalition of four political parties in the state has called for the immediate lifting of the curfew imposed on the state.
The parties are: The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Kowa Party (KP).
A spokesman of the coalition, Aliyu Sa’idu Abubakar condemned the 24-hour restriction of movement, saying unless the curfew is lifted, the state is not secure for the re-scheduled elections.
Mr Abubakar who is the (CPC) state chairman also called for the withdrawal of what he termed “intimidating security operatives with their terrorising vehicles from major cities and villages in the state.
“If the security situation in the state was what necessitated these security measures for elections to be free, fair and credible, we call for the postponement of the elections”, the coalition spokesman said.
He alleged that the state governor, Isa Yuguda in collaboration with security agencies, have planned to use the curfew period to rig the gubernatorial election in the state in Mr Yuguda’s favour. He further alleged that state civil servants have been recruited to serve as election officials to replace corps members to facilitate the rigging plan.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had shifted elections in Bauchi and Kaduna states from Tuesday to Thursday citing security concerns.
