INEC warns against violence, vote-buying

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has warned against violence and votes-buying during the governorship election, calling on security agencies and other stakeholders, including the media, to work effectively for a crisis-free election.

Mr Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, also advised all stakeholders to see the election and that of Ondo State as a national project.

“Political parties and all the critical stakeholders in the electoral process must see the conduct of these elections as a national project that must be executed in strict compliance with all the safety protocols.

"There is no alternative to the peaceful conduct of these elections as the alternative will leave the people of the two states with a constitutional logjam that may be difficult to resolve.

"Political parties must eschew violence. Political parties and their candidates must eschew the use of intemperate, inflammatory and base language designed to inflame passions or incite violence.

"On our part, we are determined and resolved to proceed with the conduct of the Edo. All the non-sensitive materials have been delivered and the Commission will ensure that non-sensitive materials arrive and are delivered to all local government areas early enough,” he stated in his keynote address at a one-day workshop for journalists on election processes and procedures in Benin City.

On vote-buying, Okoye said: “The responsibility of INEC is to conduct elections, all stakeholders including security agencies, the political parties and the media will have to work together to check this.

“In doing so, the Commission will not compromise the safety and welfare of its staff, ad-hoc staff as well as the voters. We will work closely with the security agencies to arrest threats and degrade acts of violence.”

Earlier in his welcome address, Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Johnson Alalibo, said: “As we are all aware that the September 19 governorship election is going to be the first election to be conducted under the COVID-19 pandemic.”