Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has credible intelligence report that politicians plan 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.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who raised the alarm in his remarks when he hosted the European Union Chief Observer, Mrs Marie Arena, in Abuja, yesterday, equally dismissed the claim that the Commission has outsourced 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 sensitisation, 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 insisted.
On plans 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 Corps. 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 general election, the Commission’s attention is firmly focused on the conduct of credible elections. We would not be distracted into a fatuous debate.