THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it has put mechanisms in place to check sharing of money to voters at polling booths during the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State.
INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu warned political parties against inducing voters, warning that party agents caught sharing money would be dealt with according to the law.
Yakubu expressed regret that the previous governorship polls in Edo, Ondo and Anambra states were highly monetised with each voter getting as high as N5,000 each to vote for parties.
The INEC boss, who gave the warning yesterday at a stakeholders’ meeting on Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Ado-Ekiti ahead of the governorship election, said: “The elections in Edo, Ondo and Anambra states were largely monetised. We are aware of this. It was see and buy; but it won’t happen in Ekiti.
“It was N5,000 per vote in Ondo and Anambra states. We are working with security agencies not to allow it to happen again. We even seized some cash in Anambra State.
“In Ekiti election, we won’t allow any vehicle to come near the polling units, because the politicians used to keep the money in the booth. With this, it will reduce because politicians can’t carry large amount in their pockets.”
The INEC boss said the electoral agency would collaborate with security agencies to check vote-buying at polling booths.
The meeting was attended by Ekiti State Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola, an aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), leaders of political parties, security agencies, market women, civil society organisations, labour leaders, among others.
Yakubu, who was represented by National Commissioner in charge of Oyo, Ekiti, Osun and Ondo states Prince Adedeji Soyebi, said vehicles won’t be allowed near polling booths in the Ekiti poll “because politicians use them to ferry cash to be shared to voters.”
Yakubu added that the electoral agency has conducted a total of 286 polls since 2015 and that only 28 were nullified, majorly due to parties’ poor internal democracy.
According to him, INEC would be neutral in Ekiti election, urging the stakeholders to work hard to mobilise the people for the continuous registration exercise and also claim over 200,000 Permanent Voter Cards that are still with the commission.
Traditional rulers at the meeting urged INEC to conduct a credible poll, which would be acceptable to the people of the state.
Alare of Are-Ekiti Oba Boluwade Adebiyi urged INEC to ensure that the smart card readers to be used for the election function very well.
Oba Adebiyi said: “INEC boss, we are aware of smart card reader that will be used for this election. Our appeal is that do not outsmart the smart card reader, so that we can have a peaceful poll.”
Attah of Ayede Oba Mumini Orisagbemi urged INEC to act like an
umpire and never take sides with any party in the poll.
Oba Orisagbemi said: “INEC is like a referee in a football match. We have never heard of a referee trying to score a goal in a match. If INEC as a referee wants to score a goal in Ekiti, our people won’t allow that,” he said.
Commissioner of Police Abdullahi Chafe said the police have mapped out strategy to stop electoral malfeasance by ensuring that four policemen man a polling unit to ward off thuggery and manipulation.
Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti State Prof. AbdulGaniy Raji said over 218,000 PVCs were yet to be claimed, urging the stakeholders to sensitise their people to be aware of their obligations during elections.
Olusola said: “All we want from INEC is neutrality, so that Ekiti can be at peace before, during and after this election.”