By Babajide Okeowo
Following the deaths of Senator Adebayo Osinowo and Honorable Tunde Buraimoh, bye-elections will take place tomorrow Saturday, December 5, 2020.
Osinowo was the Senator representing the Lagos East Senatorial District at the National Assembly while Buraimoh was a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Kosofe 11 Constituency.
The two legislators who were both lost in July 2020 were suspected to have died of COVID-19 related complications.
Because of the bye-election, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu has announced during an interaction with election monitoring officers deployed from the Force Headquarters, Abuja that there will be restriction of movement between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, 5th December 2020, to ensure the smooth conduct of a free, fair and credible election.
The election monitoring team, which comprises 2 Commissioners of Police, some Assistant Commissioners of Police, and other officers, led by the Commissioner of Police, Community Policing, Force Headquarters, CP Kola Okunola, reported to Lagos State Command on December 3, 2020, in preparation for the deployment and monitoring of police personnel and other security agents detailed for the election duties.
The Command has also deployed Police personnel and other security agents to cover and provide security at the 1,928 polling units where elections are scheduled to hold.
Odumosu reiterated that vehicular and pedestrian movement in and out of the affected Local Government Areas will be restricted during the elections but those on election duties, essential services, and accredited domestic and foreign election observers will be allowed passage.
The affected Local Government Areas for the two legislative seats include Epe, Ibeju Lekki, Kosofe Somolu, and Ikorodu.
The Police Boss warned the electorate and political gladiators to play the game according to the rules and provisions of the Electoral Act 2010, emphasizing that no police aides or security agents will be allowed to escort their principals or any Very Important Personalities (VIPs) to polling units or on any movement while the elections last.
