The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a stern warning to security agencies against facilitating vote buying during the upcoming November 8 governorship election in Anambra State. The Commission stressed that a collective effort is necessary to safeguard the credibility of the democratic process.
The Anambra governorship election is one of the key off-cycle polls, scheduled to test the preparedness of INEC and the integrity of the electoral system.
The practice of vote buying which is a common trend in the political landscape of Nigeria today, a practice where voters are induced with money or gifts, remains a persistent challenge that has undermined the free choice of the electorate, thereby plaguing the electoral system of the country.
The warning was delivered by INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) at a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES). The meeting brought together representatives from various security and intelligence agencies to finalize coordination plans.
In addition to combating corruption, the security forces are also focused on preventing electoral violence and protecting the nearly 24,000 ad hoc staff, including National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, who will be deployed for the poll.
Preparations include the deployment of a large security contingent and an extension of the deadline for Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection to ensure massive participation, following the revelation that only 63.9 per cent of registered voters had collected theirs.
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