Joash Amupitan, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has warned that vote buying will not be tolerated in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections scheduled for February 21.
Amupitan gave the assurance on Wednesday at a high-level
stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, where he outlined the commission’s preparations
for the polls and reaffirmed its commitment to a peaceful, transparent and
credible process.
According to him, more than 1.6 million registered voters
are expected to participate in the election across 2,822 polling units, with
570 candidates vying for 68 elective positions in the six area councils.
He said the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) would
be deployed in all polling units, while results would be uploaded in real time
to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal to enhance transparency.
The INEC chairman noted that 89 observer groups and 700
journalists have been accredited to monitor the exercise, adding that multiple
security agencies would be deployed to ensure order.
He specifically noted that operatives of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and
other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) would be on ground to deter vote
trading and other electoral offences.
“Any individual found buying or selling votes will be
apprehended and dealt with in accordance with the law,” Amupitan said.
“Vote trading undermines the sanctity of the ballot and
erodes public confidence in democratic institutions. It must not be tolerated.”
He added that 1,132 vehicles, 620 motorcycles and 14 boats
would be deployed to facilitate the movement of personnel and materials,
stressing that there must be no logistical lapses on election day.
Polling units, he said, are expected to open at 8:30 am,
following consultations with transport unions to guarantee timely distribution
of materials.
Amupitan noted that INEC remains neutral in the contest.
“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 Federal Capital Territory to freely choose their
representatives,” he said.
Amupitan called on political parties, candidates and their
supporters to conduct themselves peacefully, while urging security agencies to
remain professional and impartial throughout the exercise.
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