The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu Amupitan, on Wednesday warned against vote buying and vote trading ahead of the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State, directing security agencies to arrest and prosecute offenders.
Speaking during the presentation of the voters’ register to political parties in Ado-Ekiti, Amupitan described vote buying as one of the greatest threats to Nigeria’s electoral process, stressing that the practice undermines democracy and the credibility of elections.
He called on agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Police Force to ensure strict enforcement of the law against electoral offenders.
“Vote buying or vote trading 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.
The INEC Chairman disclosed that a total of 1,059,660 eligible voters would participate in the Ekiti governorship election, noting that the figure represents an increase of about 66,000 new voters compared to the approximately 900,000 registered voters recorded during the 2023 elections.
According to him, the updated register was compiled after rigorous verification and data-cleaning exercises conducted during the first and second phases of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
Amupitan explained that the publication and presentation of the register to political parties was in compliance with the Electoral Act, which mandates INEC to make the register available at least 30 days before an election.
Describing the voters’ register as the foundation of credible elections, he said its accuracy and integrity are essential in ensuring that every eligible voter’s voice is reflected in the electoral outcome.
“The voters’ register is the foundation upon which free, fair and credible elections are built. Its accuracy, completeness and integrity are paramount to ensuring that every eligible voter’s voice is heard,” he stated.
He urged political parties and other stakeholders to carefully scrutinise the register and promptly report any discrepancies within the legal timeframe provided by law.
Amupitan also assured residents of Ekiti State that their votes would count, citing the successful conduct of recent elections in Anambra State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as evidence of INEC’s commitment to transparent and credible elections.
He revealed that the commission significantly improved result transmission during the last Anambra governorship election, with 93 per cent of results uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) by 7 p.m. on election day.
The INEC Chairman further appealed to voters to come out en masse on election day, while urging political parties to mobilise their supporters peacefully and focus campaigns on issues rather than personal attacks.
He announced that political parties would sign a peace accord ahead of the election as part of efforts to guarantee a peaceful electoral process in the state.
“Our collective commitment to transparency, trust and democratic principles will determine the success of this election. Let us work together to ensure a peaceful and credible process,” he added.
Earlier, the National Commissioner supervising Ekiti State, Sam Olumekun, said the presentation of the register demonstrated INEC’s commitment to producing a credible and inclusive voters’ register in line with the legal framework guiding the commission’s activities.
Olumekun noted that the exercise provides political parties, election observers and citizens the opportunity to inspect and verify the register before the election.
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