INEC to security agencies: Don’t give room for vote buying in Anambra poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned security agencies deployed for the November 8 Anambra governorship election against creating an environment that enables vote buying, warning that the practice undermines democracy and public trust in the electoral process. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), gave the warning yesterday at a meeting of the […]

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned security agencies deployed for the November 8 Anambra governorship election against creating an environment that enables vote buying, warning that the practice undermines democracy and public trust in the electoral process.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), gave the warning yesterday at a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

He stressed that vote buying remains one of the biggest threats to credible elections and must be tackled jointly by law enforcement and anti-graft agencies.

“Security agents cannot afford to create an environment that allows vote buyers to operate during the Anambra election,” Amupitan said. “Together, let us combat vote buying, uphold the values of democracy and work relentlessly for the credibility of our elections,” he added.

He said INEC was working closely with security and anti-corruption agencies to ensure that the election was free of voter inducement and other irregularities. “We would like to warn that any attempt to induce voters before or during the Anambra election must be resisted and curtailed. The Commission is pleased with our collaboration with law enforcement agencies, especially the anti-graft bodies, to stop vote buyers from contaminating our electoral process,” he added.

The INEC chairman reaffirmed the commission’s readiness for the poll, saying all logistical and operational measures were in place. He disclosed that 24,000 ad hoc staff would be deployed across 5,718 polling units, with results collated through the established three-tier structure from ward to local government and the state collation centre in Awka.

He further announced that the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) had been extended from October 29 to November 2, noting that only 63.9 per cent of registered voters had collected their cards. “No eligible voter should be denied the opportunity to exercise their franchise due to logistical or administrative delays,” he said.

Also speaking, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, represented by Hassan Abdullahi, warned that any act of violence or attempt to disrupt the election would be met with a strong and uncompromising response from the federal government.

“The government has zero tolerance for electoral violence and will not allow desperate politicians or their supporters to undermine the process,” he said.

Ribadu added that robust and coordinated security arrangements involving all security and intelligence agencies had been put in place to ensure a peaceful and credible poll.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, represented by CP Abayomi Shogunle, said 45,000 personnel would be deployed to Anambra from November 1 to secure the process, while the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Yusha’u Ahmed Ogunnafunne, assured of adequate protection for corps members participating in the exercise.