Romanus Ugwu
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says that it has discovered fresh plot by desperate politicians to use food vendors around polling units with large voter populations as collection points for cash-for-votes as well as other forms of material inducement to voters on election day.
Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, who raised the alarm in his remarks when he hosted European Union Chief Observer, Mrs Marie Arena, in Abuja, dismissed claims that the Commission has outsourced the recruitment of election duty staff to partisan actors.
“There is no doubt that our electoral processes are getting better and votes count. We will continue to progressively improve our elections and protect the sanctity of the vote. This calls for the support of all citizens and all stakeholders. In our determination to do so, we have taken bold steps to address the disturbing trend of vote-buying by some political actors.
“For this reason, we have modified the administration of our polling units in order to make it difficult for voters to expose their marked ballot papers on election day.
“We have also introduced the partial ban on the use of mobile phones and other electronic devices by voters while in the voting cubicles. We are also introducing the rolling and flattening of ballot papers by voters on election day. We are training our election duty staff, in addition to voter education and sensitization, on this new innovation. We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring the sanctity of the ballot.
“However, following recent consultations with stakeholders across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria, the attention of the Commission was drawn to a new plan by some political actors to use food vendors around polling units with large voter populations as collection points for cash-for-votes as well as other forms of material inducement to voters on election day. We are aware of this trick. It will not work,” he claimed.
Dismissing the claim to outsource election ad-hoc staff, he said: “The bulk of ad hoc staff for election duty will be drawn from the pool of young Nigerians serving in the National Youth Service scheme. The Commission has established clear criteria for drawing from students of tertiary institutions to make up for any shortfalls. This has been the practice over several electoral cycles.
“Similarly, Collation and Returning Officers are drawn from senior academic staff of Federal Universities led by the Vice Chancellors. We have already commenced the process following our meeting with the Vice Chancellors last week. In addition, there is a clearly established system of vetting all election duty staff before they are engaged.
“Therefore, the claim that the Commission has outsourced the recruitment of election duty staff to partisan actors is the usual allegation on the eve of elections and should be disregarded. With 25 days to the 2019 General Elections, the Commission’s attention is firmly focused on the conduct of credible elections. We will not be distracted into a fatuous debate.
“I wish to assure the EU that our preparation for the 2019 General Election is on course. We have had a series of very assuring meetings with the security agencies in order to ensure that processes are protected, the right of voters to vote freely safeguarded, access for observers and the media guaranteed, the election transparent and the outcome a true reflection of the will of the Nigerian people,” he said.
Speaking further, Yakubu said: “Let me warmly welcome the EU Chief Observer Mrs. Maria Arena to INEC. The EU is one of the long-standing partners of the Commission in deepening electoral democracy in Nigeria.
“Through the EU-Support for Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN), we have developed and validated our strategic plans; deepened our engagement with stakeholders; enhanced the participation of marginalised groups in the electoral process especially women, youths and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)
“They built the capacities of our staff; brought together other electoral commissions within Africa to share experience on best practice in the use of technology in elections; and benefitted from the services of election experts in various aspects of the Commission’s operations.
“I must equally acknowledge the benefit we derived from the recommendations of the EU Observer Mission to our last General Elections in 2015 led by Mr Santiago Fisas. We were delighted to once again receive Mr Fisas as head of the Election Follow-up Mission (EFM) to Nigeria from October 10 to November 9, 2017.
“We have implemented all the recommendations made by the EU Mission in 2015 that are within the powers of the Commission to do, including the simultaneous accreditation and voting system which we introduced on January 9, 2016 and used it to seamlessly conduct off-season elections into 194 constituencies,” he said.