Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, has called for peaceful electioneering campaign as he meets transport stakeholders in the state.

Edgal made the call while addressing representatives from State/ Branches/Units and the Executives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, and their affiliated unions.

He commended the union for displaying decency and discipline, which he said led to partnership from the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, urging them to be law abiding, describing the union as an integral part of the forthcoming election.

According to him, this is why INEC has decided to partner with the union for the provision of logistics during the election.

He, however, said he wondered what people gain when they fight and kill themselves during elections, saying the union would also partner with two sections of the police — the Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) and the Bomb Disposal Unit.

“The SIB will help to profile the drivers you are providing for INEC, so that they can be tracked if involved in violence and the Bomb Disposal Unit will screen the buses you provide before they move,” Edgal said.

He also urged the union to set up a disciplinary committee, to sanction their members whenever they err, advising the union to be vigilant and report strange faces as parks were usually their default hiding place.

INEC Administrative Secretary in Lagos, Asade Ganiu, who represented the Lagos REC also urged the members of the union to conduct themselves peacefully as they partner with INEC.

“INEC needs your cooperation as you are a critical stakeholder. INEC doesn’t have the capacity and this is why we need to partner with you for the success of the election.

“We thank you for your cooperation during the last election and we hope that you give us the same cooperation. We will still be meeting with your leaders to let them know the number of vehicles, motorcycles and boats we need.

“In the past some drivers after conveying election materials to the polling unit failed to bring them back after being paid.

“Please search yourself and give us your best drivers, to make the election a successful one,” Ganiu said.

State Chairman of the union, Tajudeen Agbede assured residents of the state and the police of peaceful and violence-free conduct during the forthcoming general election.

Agbede said NURTW had partnered with the police at the state command to ensure peaceful coexistence during the election.

He said the union had established task force to monitor the activities and movement of vehicles during the election, saying the task force was selected in all local government in the state to monitor and ensure orderliness in the vehicular movements.

Agbede said members have also been advised to exercise franchise during the election.

“There won’t be any violence from our members at all because we have been sensitised them from time to time on the coming election.

“We have also told our members to collect their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) to ensure they participate positively during the exercise.

We are stakeholders and partners, so the election must be peaceful and violence free,” he said.