*Usman Baba, Inspector-General of Nigeria Police bars state-established security outfits and privately-owned outfits from participating in election security management during Saturday, March 18 polls in the country

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

As the March 18, 2023 Governorship and State Assembly Elections, approach, Mr. Usman Baba, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), in Nigeria, has announced the restriction of all forms of vehicular movement on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation, from 12 a.m.to 6 p.m. on election day in the country.

ConsumerConnect reports  Nigerians, again, will participate in the polls Saturday, to elect a new set of governors and state assembly members.

Baba, however, noted those on essential services including officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), electoral observers, accredited media and observers as well as emergency responders are excluded.

Muyiwa Adejobi, Force Spokesman, who stated said the IGP noted: “This directive excludes the Federal Capital Territory as no election is being conducted therein.

“Similarly, the IGP reiterates the ban on all security aides to VIPs and escorts from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election.”

Besides, the Spokesman disclosed the IGP barred state-established security outfits and privately-owned outfits from participating in election security management on Saturday. State-owned security outfits include the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards, the Amotekun Corps, Ebubeagu, among others.

Baba urged all citizens to be law-abiding during and after the elections.

He further assured Nigerians that all necessary security arrangements have been emplaced to ensure they exercise their franchise unhindered.

In the Saturday’s state elections, 18 political parties have fielded candidates for the elective positions slated to hold in 28 out of the 36 states of the Federation.

However, the governorship elections of eight states (Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Osun and Ondo) are held off-season due to litigations and court judgements that truncated the regularity of governorship elections in the West African country.

But elections for members of state legislature will hold in the 36 states of the Federation.

Already, thousands of candidates are competing for 993 State Houses of Assembly seats.

This data is according to statistics by INEC.

In alphabetical order, the 28 states where governorship elections will hold on March 18, 2023 are: Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, according to reports.