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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given a marching order to the anti-corruption agencies to arrest and prosecute anybody involved in vote buying or selling during the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for this weekend.
The Commission’s chairman, Joash Amupitan, handed down the order to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), urging them to massively deploy their personnel to polling units.
Amupitan spoke at the stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja yesterday ahead of the Area Council poll, reiterating that the commission does not have any preferred candidate or political party to win the election.
While urging them to play their part in ensuring that the election is peaceful, credible and transparent, Amupitan noted, “As we approach Election Day, the commission has substantially discharged its responsibilities. What remains is for all stakeholders to play their part in ensuring that the election is peaceful, credible and that its outcome is widely accepted.
“Let me reiterate that INEC does not have a political party and does not have a preferred candidate. Our mandate is clear: to provide the enabling environment for residents of the FCT to freely choose their representatives on February 21. I call on candidates and party leaders to prevail on their supporters to act responsibly, respect the rules and allow the will of the people to prevail.
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“There is, however, one issue that must be addressed directly and that is vote trading or vote buying. The commission has given an express mandate to the EFCC and the ICPC to deploy their personnel to polling units.
“Any individual found buying or selling votes will be apprehended and dealt with in accordance with the law. Vote trading undermines the sanctity of the ballot and erodes public confidence in democratic institutions. It must not be tolerated.
“I urge all stakeholders to recommit themselves to peaceful conduct and strict compliance with the law. Security agencies must remain professional and impartial. Political parties must conduct themselves responsibly. The media must report accurately.
“Observers must remain objective. Voters must turn out peacefully and exercise their franchise freely,” he said.
Speaking further, Amupitan said: “On Saturday, over 1.6 million registered voters across 2,822 polling units will make their choices. Our collective duty is to ensure that their votes are cast freely, counted accurately and reflected transparently.
“Let us raise the bar and consolidate the FCT’s standing as a model for local government elections in Nigeria. The commission stands ready to fulfil its mandate,” he assured.
