By Philip Dzeremo
Makurdi, Feb.20, 2019 (NAN) The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Makurdi on Wednesday called on security agencies to beef up surveillance in all states to forestall any plan to rig the polls.
The party gave the advice in a communique issued after a one-day expanded emergency meeting at the City Bay Park in Makurdi.
The communique, which was signed by Prof. Eugene Aliegba, decried attacks on APC members on the day of the postponed polls resulting in the death of its Chairman, Mr Boniface Okleho, in Ohimini Local Government area.
It decried the spread of arms by militia groups in the state and called on security operatives to beam their searchlight on members of the Livestock Guards and the state vigilance group to curtail their excesses.
” The meeting deplored the fact that despite the deployment of security for conduct of the elections, the presence of armed militia and armed Livestock Guards still remained visible all over the state.
“The security agencies should check the activities of the Benue State Livestock Guards and other illegal security outfits in the state and recover arms from them, and their activities restricted since they have no role in the electoral process/matters,” it said.
The party also called on its members in the state to sustain efforts to achieve higher margins of victory in the rescheduled polls.
It also appealed to INEC “to publish a list of its duly accredited observers to enable security agencies identify fake groups/persons posing as observers.” (NAN)
