By Adoyi M. Aba
Abuja
Benue state Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom, has appealed to voters in Benue South Senatorial District, popularly called Zone C, who have their permanent voter cards (PVCs) to turn out in their numbers and vote in Saturday’s re-run election.
This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua.
According to the statement, the governor said as the Chief Security Officer of the state he wished to assure them that adequate security had been provided for people to be able to come out and exercise their franchise freely without molestation.
He said the state government was aware of plans by the opposition to intimidate voters and cajole them into voting against their choice, adding that a governor from an opposition state even came to Benue with militants who had threatened to unleash mayhem on voters.
According to the governor, they are bent on causing confusion because they know that their party cannot win on a level playing ground.
He assured that all the conventional security agencies from Benue and neighbouring states had been mobilised to give protection to voters in particular and citizens in general.
He said: “Our administration, which won election popularly and overwhelmingly without resort to thugs or violence, is committed to providing a level playing field for the people to vote in a free, fair, and transparent election. Let the will of the people prevail.”
Ortom warned those “who have no business with the election to steer clear of the district as security agencies will deal decisively with those bent on causing trouble and hindering the electoral process.”