CDS meets troops, stakeholders, promise peaceful polls in Bayelsa, Kogi, Imo

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the military is committed to protecting the nation’s democracy and ensuring peaceful atmosphere in the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo states.

Musa made the remark in an interactive session with security agencies and stakeholders, on Tuesday, in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital.

Musa, gave assurance that the off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states will be peaceful and credible in line with the directive of President Bola Amed Tinubu.

He said he and his team were in Bayelsa to assess the security situation and to ensure that Bayelsa was secure and protected ahead of the November 11 election.

The CDS warned anyone planning to perpetrate violence to steer clear of the elections in the three states and cautioned security agencies against acts that would compromise the polls.

Also, he said security agencies have the president’s directive to bring to an end acts of criminality, including sea piracy, illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism to ensure that oil production output increases to boost the national economy.

According to him: “I have come with a mighty team. We want to ensure that the state is fully secure and well-protected so that Bayelsa will continue to develop.

“As Bayelsa develops, l am sure the rest of the South-South will develop and Nigeria too.

“Last week, we held a meeting with the National Security Adviser, the INEC Chairman and other stakeholders on the need to conduct credible and peaceful election. For us, that is a marching order.

“Within us, if anybody wants to sabotage the election, l want to assure that all security agencies will be very watchful of our conduct.

“If any of the security agencies stains the election, it is going to stain all of us and we are not going to allow that. Before the election, several steps will be taken to ensure that everywhere is calm and everybody is allowed to come out and vote.

“The era where people will use violence to intimidate voters and snatch ballot boxes is gone.

“We want to warn those who think it is their birthright to perpetrate violence during elections that henceforth it is not going to be business as usual.

“Any member of the armed forces caught compromising the election risks a court-martial,” he said.

On his part, Rear Admiral Olusegun Ferreira, the Commander of Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) said they are ready to ensure that the Bayelsa election will be conducted in an atmosphere of peace to ensure credibility.