The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has warned against vote-buying ahead of the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State, assuring that the commission is fully prepared to deliver a free, fair and credible poll.
The INEC boss gave the assurance on Tuesday at the meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security held in Abuja.
Warning against voter inducement, Amupitan vowed that INEC would work closely with security and anti-graft agencies to curb the menace of vote-buying orchestrated by Charles Chukwuma Soludo, the incumbent governor of Anambra state.
“We would like to warn that any attempt to induce voters before or during the Anambra election will be met with the full force of the law. Together, we must combat vote-buying, uphold the values of democracy, and work relentlessly for the credibility of our elections,” he cautioned.
Reaffirming his commitment to credible elections, the INEC Chairman said, “For INEC, this represents a new chapter. I wish to reiterate my personal commitment to delivering free, fair, and credible elections that genuinely reflect the will of the Nigerian people.”
He disclosed that INEC was taking urgent steps to resolve the network challenges encountered during last weekend’s mock accreditation exercise in the state.
On the issue of voter readiness, Amupitan disclosed that the commission had extended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards in Anambra from Wednesday, October 29, to Sunday, November 2, to allow more eligible voters to collect their cards.
“We are determined that no eligible voter should be disenfranchised,” he added.
The INEC boss commended security agencies for their collaboration in ensuring a peaceful electoral environment, stressing that inter-agency synergy was crucial to maintaining public confidence in the process.
“Synergy among all security agencies is non-negotiable, particularly at a time when the credibility of our elections is paramount,” he said.
Story credit: Punch Newspaper.
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