From Romanus Ugwu, Awka
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a stern warning ahead of the November 6 Anambra State governorship election, saying it would prosecute any electoral offender, including Commission staff.
INEC Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu, who gave the warning during a stakeholder meeting in Awka, the Anambra State capital, reiterated the determination of the Commission to deploy technology for the election, assuring that the Commission is ready for the poll.
He reminded the electorate that vote buyers will also face the full wrath of the law, urging the electorate to be rest assured that their votes will count in the free, fair and credible election.
Prof Mahmood equally reiterated that the ban on the use of smartphones or other photographic devices in the voting cubicles is still in force.
Reading the riot act to the electorate, candidates and officials, he said: ‘I want to assure all voters in Anambra State that in designing the sensitive materials for the election, the Commission has introduced additional visible and invisible security features, including different colour codes.
‘Materials have also been customised by Local Government Areas and Polling Units. Let me, therefore, warn those who may attempt to compromise the process that we have put in place sufficient safeguards to detect counterfeits.
‘We are also determined to prosecute perpetrators of electoral malpractice, including any election duty staff found to be complicit. The choice of the next Governor of Anambra State is in the hands of the eligible voters and their will must prevail,’ he assured.
The chairman warned: ‘In our continuing determination to protect the integrity of the electoral process, I wish to remind political parties, candidates and their supporters that vote-buying is illegal under our laws. I wish to reiterate that the ban on the use of smartphones or other photographic devices in voting cubicles is still in force.
‘The anti-graft agencies, who are members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), will deploy their personnel to arrest and prosecute violators,’ he said.
On the deployment of technology, Prof Mahmood said: “On Saturday, Anambra State will make history as the first governorship election in Nigeria in which the Commission will deploy the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) device. This new device replaces the Smart Card Reader (SCR) used in previous elections since 2015.
‘We are satisfied with the pilot deployment of the BVAS in the Isoko South I State Constituency Bye-election in Delta State. The BVAS has the dual capacity for fingerprint and facial authentication of voters. This is to guard against voting by identity theft where one person uses another person’s Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) to vote using the incident form.
‘With this development, the use of the incident form is abolished. No voter without a genuine PVC will vote. No voter who has not been successfully accredited electronically using the BVAS will vote.
‘At the same time, the BVAS is also equipped with a camera. Therefore, it has the capacity to snap Polling Unit level results and upload the same to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal so that citizens can view results as the election is concluded in each Polling Unit.
‘I am glad to report that all the BVAS required for the election on Saturday have been configured and delivered to Anambra State. Election duty staff have also been trained on the use of the device and we have sufficient technical staff to respond to any glitches that may occur,’ he said.
Speaking earlier, the National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said that it will be in the interest of democracy, the interest of the people of Anambra State and in the interest of the people of Nigeria to conduct an acceptable election in Anambra State.
He argued that having conducted the Edo and Ondo governorship elections under very difficult circumstances occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission will conduct the Anambra poll despite the security challenges.
‘This Commission conducted the Edo and Ondo governorship elections under very difficult circumstances. The Commission conducted the elections at a time of global uncertainty and fear accentuated by a pandemic whose unique nuances were still evolving. The Commission conducted elections at a time when advanced countries rescheduled, postponed or abandoned their elections on account of the pandemic,’ he said.
‘Under the leadership of the Chairman, the Commission developed a unique electoral continuity plan anchored on technology, courage and resilience and conducted both elections.
‘The Anambra governorship election has its own unique features and characteristics. It is being conducted in difficult circumstances.
‘The election will further test the resilience of our democracy and democratic institutions. It will test our determination and resolve to conduct elections in difficult circumstances.
‘Mr Chairman, the fact must be acknowledged that the ongoing agitations in different parts of the country, including Anambra State, is not new to deeply divided societies like Nigeria challenged by contestations around nationhood and citizenship.
‘In these agitations, democracy still offers the best opportunity for addressing them in a peaceful manner and that’s why it is in the interest of Nigeria and those genuinely interested in a stronger Nigeria and the progress of the country’s electoral democracy to create enabling environment for peaceful election on Saturday.
‘There is no doubt that democracy is not a finished product but a work in progress. We believe that it is in the interest of our democracy, the interest of the people of Anambra State and in the interest of the people of Nigeria to conduct an acceptable election in Anambra State,’ he noted.