Ahead of Ekiti State Governorship election, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has described vote buying as one of the gravest threats confronting Nigeria’s electoral process, warning that offenders must be arrested and prosecuted to safeguard the nation’s democracy.
Amupitan spoke in Ekiti State during the presentation of the voters’ register to political parties ahead of the forthcoming governorship election, where he also cautioned staff of the Commission against manipulating election results or engaging in acts capable of undermining the credibility of the polls.
The INEC Chairman urged security and anti-graft agencies, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the police, to clamp down on individuals involved in vote trading.
“I want to reiterate that one of the major challenges and constraints of our electoral process is the issue of vote buying or vote trading. This is a criminal offence under the Electoral Act and it is the responsibility of law enforcement agencies to ensure that those involved are arrested and promptly prosecuted,” he said.
He also appealed to political parties to refrain from inducement of voters, warning that the practice erodes public confidence in elections and weakens democratic institutions.
Amupitan disclosed that about 1,059,660 eligible voters are expected to participate in the Ekiti governorship election, representing an increase of about 66,000 new voters following the continuous voter registration exercise.
While describing the presentation of the voter register as a constitutional and statutory obligation, the INEC Chairman said the document remains the foundation upon which free, fair and credible elections are built.
According to him, the register was compiled through rigorous data collection, verification and collaboration with stakeholders to ensure accuracy, transparency and inclusiveness.
He urged political parties to carefully scrutinise the register and report any discrepancies within the period allowed by law, stressing that credible elections remain a shared responsibility between INEC, political parties, security agencies and voters.
Amupitan assured Nigerians that votes would count during the Ekiti governorship election, citing improvements recorded in recent elections conducted by the Commission, including the Anambra governorship poll and the FCT area council elections.
He noted that the most recent Anambra election conducted under his leadership was concluded within a day, unlike the 2022 exercise that lasted five days, adding that 93 per cent of results were transmitted electronically before 7 p.m. on election day.
The INEC Chairman further disclosed that political parties would sign a peace accord ahead of the election, describing it as a social contract aimed at ensuring peaceful campaigns and issue-based politics.
He charged political actors to “walk the talk” by adhering to the principles of fairness, integrity and peaceful conduct throughout the electioneering process.
National Commissioner supervising Ekiti State, Sam Olumekun, said the publication and presentation of the register reflected the Commission’s commitment to transparency and legal compliance.
Olumekun assured stakeholders that no eligible voter had been disenfranchised, while urging political parties to maintain peace as the election approaches.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti State, Bunmi Omoseyindemi, also declared that the state was fully prepared for the governorship election.
