WE ARE DETERMINED TO PROSECUTE PERPETRATORS OF ELECTORAL MALPRACTICE- INEC
Oru Leonard
Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has warned that the Commission is determined to prosecute perpetrators of electoral malpractice, including any election duty staff found to be complicit.
Prof Yakubu stated this during the Stakeholders/ Peace meeting held in Awka ahead of the ANAMBARA State Governorship election which comes up on Saturday, November 6, 2021.
He expressed his gladness and confidence in the securiry arrangements as the Inspector General of Police, as the head of the lead agency for internal security, including the conduct of elections, in Nigeria came personally.
“This further underscores the importance of this consultative meeting. Issues relating to election security will be addressed by the Inspector General of Police himself. I am also glad to note the presence of the candidates for the election as well as other distinguished invited guests.
“The Anambra State Governorship election holds in the next 3 days. As far as INEC is concerned, there are two activities left in our Timetable and Schedule of Activities. The first one is the end of campaign by political parties which is at midnight tomorrow Thursday 4th November 2021. The second is the Election Day which is Saturday 6th November 2021. These two activities will conclude the 14 items listed in the Timetable for the election released by the Commission about 11 months ago on 19th January 2021. INEC has diligently implemented every activity on schedule.
“The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Anambra State has just briefed us on our detailed preparations for the election, including logistics and the recruitment, training and deployment of election duty staff. Non-sensitive materials have been delivered to the 21 Local Government Areas of the State. The sensitive materials are secure in the branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) here in Awka. As is always the case on the eve of major elections, INEC will invite political parties, civil society organisations and the media to the CBN tomorrow Thursday 4th November 2021 to inspect the sensitive materials and to witness their movement to the various Local Government Areas under security escort. By the same arrangement, the materials will be delivered to the Registration Areas or Wards on Friday 5th November 2021 to facilitate the opening of Polling Units at 8.30am on Election Day i.e. Saturday 6th November 2021″, he enumerated.
He urged the people of Anambra State to go about the voting process lawfully and peacefully as everything has been put be in place to ensure smooth, free and fair election.
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 customized 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.”
The INEC Boss said on Saturday 6th November 2021, 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. The BVAS is also equipped with a camera. Therefore, it has the capacity to snap Polling Unit level result and upload same to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal so that citizens can view results as election is concluded in each Polling Unit.
“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 smart phone or other photographic devices in the 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.
“Before I conclud, let me extend The Commission’s appreciation to you all for your presence. I thank the religious, traditional and community leaders as well as civil society organisations and the media that have worked tirelessly for the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming election. I call on the leaders of political parties and candidates to continue to appeal to your supporters to eschew hate speech or disruptive behaviour before, during and after the election. Doing so will only further compound the current situation and scare voters away from exercising their rights as citizens. Working with the security agencies, we have put so much in place for the successful conduct of this election. Let us by our words and action support the peaceful and credible conclusion of the 2021 Anambra State Governorship Election”, He expressed.
