A civil society organisation, Yiaga Africa, on Thursday, charged the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) to redouble efforts at protecting the integrity of the electoral process by upholding its regulations and relevant laws in Saturday’s governorship election.
The organisation that gave this charge also called on all security agencies to carry out their legitimate duties without being biased or partial to any political party.
The Chair for the 2024 Ondo Election Mission, Yiaga Africa, Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu, while speaking on the expectations of the people from INEC, said the electoral umpire must ensure the early arrival of election materials at the polling units.
According to him, “We urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enhance coordination and communication with the transport companies and unions that provide logistics support.
“It is essential to ensure the timely delivery of materials to the Registration Area Centres (RACs) and to facilitate the early deployment of materials and personnel to polling units on election day.
“This approach will help to address the issue of late commencement of polls that has been observed in previous elections.”
Yiaga Africa also charged the security agencies to arrest anyone caught engaging in vote-buying and selling for prosecution to stamp out the menace.
Nwagwu noted that the act of vote-buying and selling by politicians has greatly undermined the election process in the country.
He said, “We encourage security agencies to strictly enforce laws and regulations against voter inducement, vote-buying, ballet box snatching, and other electoral malpractices.
“Arrest and prosecute individuals and groups found engaging in illegal activities.”
The organisation condemned violent attacks in some towns in the northern senatorial district and in Idanre local government in the central senatorial district of the state.
The group, however, encouraged the electorate to go out and cast their vote to elect their governor without fear, enjoining them to shun inducement of any sort.
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