The Cross River Police Command has announced that it will deploy 9,000 personnel across the state’s three senatorial districts for the Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday.
SP. Irene Ugbo, the command’s spokesperson, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Tuesday.
She stated that the 9,000 personnel would be directly overseen by six Commissioners of Police.
Ugbo stated that the command was prepared to provide effective coverage of the state’s 3,281 polling units.
She promised that the police would remain neutral before, during, and after the elections.
She stated that the state command was prepared for the elections and assured stakeholders, particularly political parties, of police neutrality.
“We are also asking the citizens to come out to exercise their franchise without fear as their security is guaranteed.
“We are going to have three officers manning each of the polling units. They will not carry arms but only baton; the armed ones will stay close in case of any eventuality,”he said.
NAN reports that a total of 295 candidates would participate in the general elections scheduled for Feb. 25 and March 11 in Cross River.
The candidates would jostle for the 36 elective positions which include, the Governor, three Senate seats, seven House of Representatives seats and 25 seats in the State House of Assembly.
While 11 candidates would contest for the governorship seat, 28 candidates for the Senate, 69 for the House of Representatives and the State House of Assembly with 187 candidates.
NAN also reports that of the 17 registered political parties in Cross River, only 12 fielded candidates for elective positions.(NAN)
