From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has tasked members of the traditional institution to mobilize their subjects against vote buying and selling.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Kano State Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Risqua Shehu Arabu requested this, Thursday, during a visit by the Oba of Yoruba, Kano State, Oba Murtala Alimi Otisese.
Represented by the Commission’s Administrative Secretary, Garba Lawal, Risqua slated that vote buying was capable of undermining the creditability of the electoral process and therefore, must be checked.
He tasked Nigerians never to sell their votes but to cast it for credible candidates during the election exercise.
The Commissioner however acknowledged that INEC has put in place stringent measures in the conduct of its activities, a reason politicians and their parties have resorted to vote buying as a way to beat the process.
The Commissioner also appeared to traditional rulers to sensitize their subjects against electoral violence,, even as he charged them to encourage them to collect their permanent voters cards.
He explained that Kano State had about 1million uncollected voters cards, comprising of about 440000 previously uncollected cards and about 560,000 cards registered during the present dispensation.
In his remarks, the monarch tasked Nigerians to exercise their franchise during the forthcoming elections while saying that traditional rulers are committed to ensuring peaceful election exercise.
” Nigerian’s should not relent towards casting their votes, towards ensuring that their vote counts in a peaceful manner as peace is indeed the pillar of development” he stated
He onserved that both the government of the state and the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero have set the pace for peace to prevail during the elections exercise.