2019: Security agencies should curtail the menace of vote buying and selling ― INEC

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday tasked the security agencies in the country to be ready to assist it in tackling the menace of vote buying and selling during the next general election.

The Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Prof James Apam, said this in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital at the opening of a one-day capacity building for voter education desk officers at the state and local government levels from the north central region.

Apam noted that the outcome of 2015 elections was a turning point in the history of electoral contest in Nigeria, saying it would improve on its achievements in 2019.

According to him, the commission conducted a very good election in 2015 that had to be improved upon, regretting that the issue of vote buying was capable of bastardising the efforts being put in place to have a credible election.

He, however, said INEC was prepared to conduct a free, fair and credible election in 2019, urging the stakeholders, including the security agencies and political parties to complement its efforts.

Apam, however, tasked the participants at the capacity building programme to rise up to the occasion in tackling the menace of vote buying and selling through effective voters education.

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The REC, who regretted the negative effects of vote buying and selling the sanctity of the electoral process, urged the staff to maximise the knowledge they would acquire from the training in addressing the emerging problem.

He urged the officers to intensify their voter education and enlightenment efforts in their various places of assignments to ensure the electorate and other stakeholders are aware of the danger of vote buying and selling with a view to changing their orientation for better.

Earlier, Head of Voters Education and Publicity at INEC office in Kogi, Alhaji Ahmed Bagudu, said 135 officers from across the North Central states of Kogi, Niger, Nasarawa, Kwara, Benue, Plateau and FCT were taking part in the workshop.