ONDO State Police Command Thursday assured citizens of the state of adequate security during and after the delivery of judgment by the election petition tribunal, which is expected to deliver its verdict Friday.
Spokesman of the Command, Wole Ogodo, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), told The Guardian that security agencies are on top of the situation.
He said all concerned with maintaining security of lives and property in the state have been put on alert to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
Ogodo, who did not disclose the number of men deployed to maintain the peace, embark on surveillance and throw security ring around the tribunal venue, however, warned miscreants and political hoodlums to stay away from the state.
After about 180 days of litigation over petitions written against the declaration of incumbent governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and his Labour Party (LP) platform, the three-man tribunal headed by Justice Andover Kaka'an, served notice of judgments to the parties late on Wednesday.
Both the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with their candidates, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and Olusola Oke, challenged the Mimiko victory of last October 20 governorship election.
The two parties and their candidates are challenging the election on the ground of allegations of massive irregularities, mainly the alleged injection of illegal names into the voters' register used for the exercise.
They also hinged their prayers for the cancellation of the polls on the alleged non-accreditation of voters in some units, which they said, had made the exercise null and void.
But Mimiko, the LP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who are defendants in the case, argued against the petitions and urged the tribunal to uphold the election.
A drive around Akure, the state capital yesterday, did not reveal any suspense as the people went about their normal businesses oblivious of the impending judgment.
However, it was not the same story at the camps of the three political parties as their supporters were seen preparing for the verdict, with many procuring foods and drinks to be consumed by members during the expected celebrations.
The Guardian