Rose Ejembi, Makurdi and Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo

Amid heightened tension that trailed last Saturday’s governorship and state Assembly elections in  Taraba  State, Governor Darius Ishaku has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in Jalingo, the state capital

In a statement issued in Jalingo, yesterday evening, and signed his Chief Press Secretary, Hassan Mijinyawa, the governor said the curfew takes  immediate effect till further notice.

The statement read: “The Taraba State government has imposed dusk to dawn curfew on Jalingo, the state Capital, from today, (yesterday) until further notice.

‘’The curfew will run from 6:00p.m to 6:00a.m daily. However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, key agents of political parties and observers involved in collation of elections results are exempted.

The  governor, who  enjoined the people of the state to continue to be law abiding, also, urged  security agencies to ensure strict compliance.

Daily Sun observed that residents of Jalingo  had already embarked on self imposed curfew, with most shops closed and streets deserted consequent upon the high tension in the town as the results of the governorship election filtered in.

Meanwhile, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom,  has reacted to the declaration of the governorship election in the state as inconclusive by INEC, and appealed to his supporters to remain calm.

Ortom expressed the assurance that he will triumph at the end of the day said his victory could only be delayed, but can never be denied.

“There is no need to worry about anything whether inconclusiveness or whatsoever they call it, because I’m good to go.

“As a governor, I always believe in the rule of law. I want to give INEC the benefit of the doubt that it will conduct a free, fair and credible election. I appeal to Benue people to remain calm and peaceful as they wait for the date to be announced by INEC for the rerun of the election.”

He said if he could lead with a difference of over 81,000 votes, he would surely win the rerun elections whenever INEC is ready, stressing that all the places where the exercise could not hold or results cancelled are the PDP’s strongholds.

While enjoining the security to ensure adequate security during the supplementary election,  Ortom said elections were not earlier conducted in those areas due to violence allegedly unleashed by the opposition party.