The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) expressed determination to strengthen partnership with the Nigeria Police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices (ICPC) to fight vote buying during the November 16 governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu who stated this Tuesday at a consultative meeting with political parties in Abuja, appealed to political parties to speak to their candidates and supporters to shun hate speech, inciting statements, physical attacks, destruction of electoral materials and other electoral malpractices.
Yakubu uregd politicians to eschew voter harassment, intimidation and vote buying as such actions constitute violation of the Electoral Act, stressing that the prohibition of the use of mobile phone in the voting in cubicle is still in force.
“We are going to deepen our collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in this respect.They will keep eyes on the movement of cash during electioneering campaign and on election day.
“On this note, I am very happy to report that during the 2019 general elections, alleged voter buyers were arrested across the country by EFCC, while some have been charged to courts.
“The latest update I received indicates that the EFCC has secured the first conviction of vote buyers in Gombe State. This is a welcome development.
“Similarly, about two weeks ago, the commission received some case files from the Nigerian Police on alleged offenders, generally during the 2019 general elections.We are studying the case files for further necessary action”, he said.
Yakubu added that the Commission had repeatedly warned its entire staff to remain neutral and professional, stating that staff detailed for election duty would be made to take oath of neutrality as required by law.
The INEC Chairman said the training of adhoc staff was ongoing in the two states, assuring that election materials would be deployed promptly to all polling units while all non-sensitive materials for the four elections were had been delivered to the states concerned.
He reminded political parties that deadline for submitting list of their poll agents is November 2 for proper accreditation to avoid harassment on the election day.
Yakubu stated that the Commission would be organising events for signing of peace pact by political parties and their candidates on November 7 in Bayelsa and November 11 in Kogi and urged political parties participating in the elections to ensure that their candidates were present at the event.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Peter Ameh, stressed the need for all stakeholders to develop laws that would further tighten and restrict manipulation of the electoral system.
Ameh while commending INEC for improving electoral process, said that over the years, advised the Commission to be conscious with the move by the National Assembly that political parties should be de-registered.
“INEC knows what the best is, INEC registered these parties, INEC will look at the laws and work with the laws. If the Senate continues to make this pronouncement on a daily basis, it will seem as if they have authority over the mandate that the Constitution gives to the commission”, he said.
James Kwen, Abuja
