The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has issued a strong appeal to Nigeria’s top anti-corruption agencies—the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)—to crack down on individuals planning to engage in vote buying during the upcoming Edo State election.
This call to action was made during a meeting held in Benin, the capital of Edo State, where Professor Yakubu met with the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES). The meeting focused on enhancing the collaboration between security agencies and INEC to ensure the election is conducted in a manner that is both peaceful and credible.
Professor Yakubu emphasized that the Edo State Governorship election is being closely monitored, not only within Nigeria but also by international observers. He underscored the importance of a unified approach among security agencies and INEC to maintain the integrity of the electoral process. According to him, vote buying poses a significant threat to Nigeria’s democracy, and it is crucial for the ICPC and EFCC to develop and implement effective strategies to combat this issue.
His said,
“You need to deploy a strategy for combating vote buying. It has been a feature in our elections and the more INEC improves on the processes, the more some people try to beat the process by now going to buy the votes at the polling units.
“In any case, if people are buying votes, it means that the votes are counting, that is why they are buying the votes, but we can’t allow vote buyers to determine who wins our democratic elections. It is a democracy of the people, by the people, for the people and not a plutocracy which is only open for the rich”.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police for Edo State, Nemo Edwin-Iwo, has given assurances that adequate security measures are in place for the election. He noted that the police have reviewed and improved their strategies for securing the state and that a comprehensive plan has been finalized in coordination with other security agencies. This plan includes the deployment of sufficient security personnel from both within Edo and neighboring states, ensuring a secure environment before, during, and after the election.
The combined efforts of INEC and security agencies aim to create an election atmosphere that will be respected both locally and internationally, fostering confidence in the democratic process.
