The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised the alarm over rising cases of violence and vote buying in the nation’s electoral process.
A National Commissioner and Chairman of The Electoral Institute (TEI) of INEC, Prince Solomon Adedeji Soyebi, raised the alarm yesterday in Abuja at the formal presentation of the Bayelsa and Kogi states election observation reports organised by the NESSACTION, one of the accredited election observers.
According to him, vote buying and violence were great challenges of the Kogi and Bayelsa elections and that it was the duty of everyone to find a way of removing violence from the electoral system.
“The new trend of violence in elections was becoming worrisome and INEC would not close its eyes and pretend not to see it. Another aspect which is glaring is the issue of vote exchange; violence and the twin brother vote buying are becoming a primary trend in the electoral process in the country,” Soyebi said.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Director, NESSACTION, Ms Eniola Cole, said that the group observed that the Kogi and Bayelsa elections derailed from past elections in terms of credibility, safety and security.
She said that security agents deployed for elections coverage be made to go through INEC accreditation process like all other stakeholders and be held responsible for their actions.
She urged INEC to explore a secured e-voting, Diaspora voting and e-transmission of results to stop vote buying, bribery and curb violence.
She also called on INEC to ensure access to polling units for persons with disabilities by deploying brail ballots, magnifying glasses and other election materials to assist Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs).
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