Security tight at Electoral Commission headquarters

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 (Centre Spread)

HEAVY security has been mounted at the offices of the Electoral Commission (EC) where the Presidential and Parliamentary results are being collated.
Roads leading to the EC premises have been barricaded by heavily armed police officers. The atmosphere on the EC premises was calm when the Daily Graphic visited around 1.20 p.m. yesterday to ascertain the situation there.
Police sources told the Daily Graphic that they were detailed to provide security on the EC premises on a 24-hour basis since Friday, December 5, 2008.
The officers did not allow media personnel to enter the EC yard with the explanation that they (security personnel) had been ordered to inform media personnel to shift to the International Press Centre for official results.
According to police sources, only representatives of the political parties were allowed into the strong room where the results were being collated.
Vehicles belonging to the EC were allowed into the EC yard while other motorists were searched and questioned before they were allowed to use the road leading to other parts of the city.
Pedestrians who used the routes leading to the EC were also questioned before they were allowed to enter.
Those who did not give satisfactory explanation as to why they were using the routes were turned away.
A pocketful of supporters from all the political parties were spotted either sleeping in their cars parked at a specially designated car park about 150 metres from the EC yard or raptly listening to results from the various constituencies through their radio sets or their mobile phones.
Others gathered round radio sets and listened to the results.
Some of the supporters looked bewildered, tired, cheerful while others simply looked indifferent while the results came in.
It was also observed that the supporters were not in their party colours. They wore ordinary clothes.
Some of the supporters said they had been waiting outside for the past 24 hours while others said they arrived at the EC premises a few hours ago.
The supporters were kept at bay by the police personnel who had been detailed to provide security, as well as ensure law and order.