Alleged INEC, security agencies’ collusion in vote-buying worrisome – Dogara

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has expressed concern over the alleged collusion of officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies in the “criminal act of vote buying.”

Dogara expressed the view in Abuja on Monday during a public hearing on “Vote-Buying and Improving the Electoral Processes in Nigeria,” organized by the National Assembly Joint Committee on INEC and Political Parties Matters.

According to him, the prevalence of vote-buying, which has assumed an alarming proportion in Nigeria’s electoral system, is of great concern to Nigerians and the international community, as shown by the condemnation that trailed the recently conducted governorship election in Osun State.

He said vote-buying and other sundry criminal manipulation of the electoral process in Nigeria have left the citizens in a state of unmitigated disaster, thus, urging Nigerians not to surrender to the despicable act, especially as the 2019 general elections draw nearer.

“A more worrisome dimension to vote buying is the alleged use of the officials of the electoral umpire, INEC, and security agencies to induce, intimidate and coerce voters to vote for particular candidates.

“Such absurdities have been widely reported in the media and confirmed by local and international observers in respect of the recently conducted governorship election in Osun State.

“As expected, all lovers of democracy worldwide rose to condemn these despicable incidents. We must take concrete steps to eliminate the act that makes mockery of our democracy before the 2019 general elections. As citizens, we must not surrender to this criminality,” Dogara warned.

He added that any form of contrivance by any person or authority, to unduly influence the choice of the voter, contravenes the guarantees enshrined in the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).