Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated on Friday, June 17, that it cannot guarantee that vote-buying will not occur during the governorship election in Ekiti State on Saturday (today).
Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner of INEC, announced this on Channels TV on Friday evening.
As a result, ad hoc personnel have been instructed to caution voters not to enter the voting booth with any electronic devices that can capture images, according to Okoye.
He went on to say that the decision would ensure the vote’s secret and prevent them from showing their vote to anyone.
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To prevent vote-buying, Okoye said the commission has met with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The INEC Commissioner said;
INEC as a commission cannot guarantee that there won’t be any vote-buying in this election.
We have also told them (ad hoc staff) to advise the voters when they come to vote not to enter the voting compartment with any electronic gadgets that can take photographs.
By so doing, we believe we can guarantee at least the secrecy of the vote, not that people will vote, snap them when they have voted and show somebody else.
We have also held a series of meetings with the ICPC, EFCC, and other security agencies who would have some of their plainclothes officers at some of the polling units by making sure no one comes to the place and corrupts the process.
