Tamale, Sept. 18, GNA - The five political parties contesting the by-election at Chereponi in the Northern Region scheduled for September 29 have pledged their support for the security agencies to ensure a free, fair and incident free poll.

The Chereponi by-election has been necessitated by the death of the Member of Parliament for the area, Madam Doris Asibi Seidu, early last month.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) New Patriotic Party (NPP), People's National Convention (PNC), Democratic People's Party (DPP) and New Vision Party (NVP) are contesting the by-election. Their pledge was contained in a statement issued in Tamale on Thursday and signed by the Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh.

The statement said the parties made the pledge to the Northern Regional Police Command at a forum to interact with the electorate, assembly members, the youth, traditional groups and the general public at Chereponi to outline their parties' vision towards the impending by-election.

It said the Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police Mr. Peter Angwubutoge Awuni, assured all contesting parties and the public that the police would deploy 1,000 police personnel to maintain law and order to ensure a peaceful by-election.

The statement said Mr Awuni warned that the police would deal swiftly with "hooligans and macho-men" who would try to foment trouble in the constituency during the election saying, "we are sending a strong signal to all that the police is in-charge".

The Regional Commander reminded the five political parties that the people of Chereponi were looking for development and not destruction through election-related violence, adding: "What happened at Akwatia will not be replicated at Chereponi."

The statement said the Regional Commander and his team later called on the family of the late Madam Seidu and expressed their heartfelt condolences to the family.