The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, has assured Bayelsans that the fourth coming governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo States will be peaceful.
Musa said this when he, along with the Commander of Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral E. O. Ferreira, and other senior military officers visited the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, in the Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday, October 31.
The CDS noted that he and his team were in Bayelsa to access the security situation on ground and to ensure that that the state is peaceful ahead of the election scheduled to hold on November 11, 2023.
Gen. Musa said, “I ‘m here to access the security situation on ground, and that’s why I came with my team to look at it critically.
“We want to ensure that moving forward, Bayelsa is peaceful. As we move towards the off season elections, 11th November 2023, we want to make sure that this is the best election we will ever have in Bayelsa State.
“We know the aspect of security, we know the challenges and we assure you that with the cooperation of Bayelsans this election will be Peaceful and that’s why we have come here personally to assure your Excellency that we will ensure that the elections will be peaceful.”
Receiving the CDS and his team, Governor Diri called on security agencies to ensure that the conduct of the governorship election in the state was peaceful and credible.
He advised the military officers not to allow anybody or a group of persons to engage in acts capable of undermining the electoral process.
The governor said that the government would support the security agencies to prevent violence and ensure a peaceful poll.
He also stressed the need to strengthen the country’s democracy, noting that all institutions, particularly the military, must collectively work to build viable democratic institutions.
Diri said, “Bayelsa is a flashpoint. So you have to do everything within your power to ensure that we do not give room to those allegedly sewing military uniforms and plotting to impersonate military officers to undermine the election.
“As a government, we will give you every support to ensure that we do not lose one life.
“There are institutions that make democracy tick, and one of them is the military. Listening to you, we have hope that the military will be up to its task to make democracy stronger and much better in the coming years.”
