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From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will partner Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies to stop vote buying in the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, said this during a meeting with traditional rulers ahead of the election in the state in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday.
He said the commission would partner the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure voters are not induced by candidates or political parties.
He assured the commission would not condone vote buying in the coming election as it has been observed in some primaries conducted by some political parties in the country recently.
According to him, the only important condition for a credible election is for it to be free, fair, transparent, credible and peaceful.
Yakubu said that was why the commission considered it important to meet with the royal fathers to seek their support for a peaceful election.
He said 989,202 voters had been registered in Ekiti by INEC, out of which over 740,000 had procured their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in readiness for the electoral duel.
The INEC boss revealed that the commission would conduct the governorship poll alongside the botched House of Assembly by-election in Ekiti East constituency 1.
“I want to appeal to all voters in Ekiti that their votes will count. We would still return to interact with other critical stakeholders on how to have peaceful election in Ekiti. The atmosphere now for the conduct of the 2022 election is so calm, unlike what we had in 2018.
“I asked myself what has changed, I was told the royal fathers had been working hard to ensure the situation is clam and I could see it is really very calm.
“In this election, there will be two ballot boxes in Ekiti East constituency 1, because they will elect their Assembly representative together with the governor. There will be 16 political parties for the governorship election, but only five for the by-election in Ekiti East.”
Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, Gabriel Adejumo, praised INEC for the voting registration exercise it had undertaken in the state, saying it would help in widening citizens’ participations in the exercise.
Ajibade Alabi of Ilawe Ekiti urged INEC to continue upholding the ideals of a credible election, assuring the chairman that the June 18 governorship election would be peaceful.
Alabi appealed to Yakubu to look into the monetisation of the election process in the country today, adding “people don’t need to be moneybags before they can rule the country.
“Our system must grow to allow those who are young, but competent, and who can pilot the affairs of the country very well to be allowed to exercise their rights. But with the way things are going, I see only the moneybags will be having their ways. Let us have it the way USA produced the Barack Obamas at a tender age.”
Also, Elemure of Emure land, Emmanuel Adebayo, pleaded for peace among the political parties contesting the forthcoming election in the state.
He also appealed to security agencies in the state to be non-partisan before and after the election and ensure the safety of lives and property of residents in the state.
The traditional ruler urged politicians in the state to accept outcome of the election and support whoever emerges winner “as it is not a do-or-die contest.’’
He assured the council of Obas in the state would support INEC to ensure a very peaceful election.
