Tobias Sylvester
Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, has declared Friday a work-free day in preparation for Saturday’s local government election in the state.
In a statewide broadcast on Thursday, Governor Yahaya said the free day is to enable eligible voters to travel to their respective local government areas to exercise their franchise in Saturday’s election.
The governor also highlighted his administration’s preparedness to conduct free, fair and credible local government election in the state, adding that the election was not a do or die affair.
“As part of the measures to ensure a peaceful and successful election, government has declared Friday a work-free day in order to enable our people return to their various local government areas for the election. We are also putting restrictions on all non-essential movements on the election day in order to ensure enhanced security and safety,” he said.
Governor Yahaya, however, warned trouble makers to desist from acts that could endanger lives and property of the people.
“It is not a do-or-die affair. At the end of the process, every side should respect and accept the will of the people and move on. On our part, we have provided the enabling environment for a free-and-fair participation in the electoral process to all political parties, in line with laid down constitutional provisions.
“I am confident that the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission will conduct the election with a remarkable degree of professionalism, fairness, equity and justice,” he said.
The governor urged key political players and various political parties to play the game according to laid down rules and regulations, adding that no political ambition is worth the blood of any Gombe citizen.
Meanwhile, KanyiDaily ahd reported that a member of in Gombe House of Assembly, Victor Mela, has been sentenced to one-month imprisonment for lying under oath about his citizenship.
