Kogi/bayelsa guber: INEC to deploy special mechanism to check vote-buying

A head of November gubernatorial election in Kogi and Bayelsa States, the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC) has said it was strategising on a special mechanism to be adopted to check vote-buying in the elections.

Recent elections in Nigeria have been characterised by a new trend of alleged vote-buying and inducement of voters. In most cases, the trend often takes place at the polling units in the presence of INEC and security officials.

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Different international and local election observer groups who monitored the 2019 general election, said vote-buying and intimidation of voters were among major factors that undermined the credibility of the elections.

They, however, urged the electoral empire and the Federal Government to take stringent measures to check the trend in future elections.

But speaking in an interview with Businessday, Tuesday, on the commission’s preparedness to conduct both gubernatorial elections, Festus Okoye, INEC chairman of information and voters education, said the commission had reviewed the conduct of the 2019 general election and was aware of the challenge posed by vote-buying to the electoral system.

Okoye, who refused to disclose the new strategy, however, warned politicians and their agents who intend inducing voters to stay away from the polling units or be arrested.

“We are aware the problems vote-buying poses and we are adopting new strategies to deal with it in both elections. We appeal to political parties and the candidates to steer clear of our polling units as the Commission will not condone buying and selling of votes or voters’ cards in any of the polling units.

“We shall collaborate with security agencies to stamp out vote-buying. The ban on the use of photographic equipment inside the polling cubicle is still in force. We shall further fortify our polling units to guarantee secrecy of the vote,” Okoye said.

The INEC Commissioner stressed that the commission had intensified preparations for both elections and would soon round off the distribution of Permanent Voters Card (PVC’S) in the state.