The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated its preparedness for the next Saturday, June 18 Governorship election in Ekiti State.
The INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday during an Election Stakeholders’ Meeting organized with major political players and participants in the gubernatorial poll.
Prof Yakubu assured the stakeholders that the commission will maintain and protect the transparency and security of the process. “Let me assure political parties and voters that the task of electing a new governor will be left in the hands of Ekiti voters. We won’t take any action that would put any party and candidate in a vantage position. We are going to do everything according to the constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act”.
Yakubu stated that four National Commissioners and eight Resident Electoral Commissioners have been deployed to ensure the conduct of the credible election, adding that a total of 749, 065 voters representing 76 percent have collected their Permanent Voter Cards(PVCs).
To underscore how prepared we are, we have provided magnifying glasses and braille ballot papers for visually impaired citizens while the Bimodal Voters Authentication System Machines(BVAS) will be used for accreditation. “We are not unaware that vote-buying is a destroyer of the electoral process. To show how determined we are to stop this menace, we have changed the configuration of the ballot boxes in all polling units to prevent vote-buying. “We are also partnering the operatives of ICPC and EFCC to deploy their men and deal with vote buyers and sellers according to the law”.
He, therefore, appealed to participants to eschew violence and allow the votes of the people to count.
Addressing the stakeholders the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Usman Alkali Baba clarified that the heavy deployment of security agencies in the state was not intended to intimidate, scare voters or cause apathy on election day.
The Police boss stated that the deployment was geared towards protecting the sanctity of the ballots and make the outcome of the election credible and acceptable to all stakeholders.
He said no individual with invidious and parochial interest would be allowed to vitiate the outcome of the election, through violence, vote-buying, and other actions that can taint the credibility of the poll.
Baba warned his men against professional misconduct that can mar the results of election or disrupt the process.
He assured the voters that adequate security personnel are on the ground to ward off any security threat that can hinder them from exercising their franchise rights during the poll.
“All the 177 wards and 2,445 polling units will be manned by appropriate manpower. Let me say this, the massive deployment is not to scare the citizens, but to protect the sanctity of the ballots and the provisions of the Electoral Act.
“Those who want to constitute a clog in the will of progress will face the consequences of their actions. National security should be of priority and uppermost in our minds. Let us conduct this election in the most civil manner.
“All the parties must embrace the virtues of democracy. We will not allow any person or group of persons to disrupt this election no matter how highly placed. Let all the contenders provide the moral leadership so that we can achieve success together”, Baba stated.
However, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ekiti State, Dr. Adeniran Tella, revealed that pregnant women, people with disabilities, and the aged, will be given priority to vote on election day.
He, therefore, appealed to participants to eschew violence and allow the votes of the people to count.
Addressing the stakeholders the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Usman Alkali Baba clarified that the heavy deployment of security agencies in the state was not intended to intimidate, scare voters or cause apathy on election day.
Source: Qualitative Magazine