National Electoral Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Antonia Sibini has stated that all tricks and vote buying devised by some politicians to sabotage the February elections would end up in futility.
The National Commissioner who stated this at the INEC interactive session with religious leaders in Plateau State on Tuesday said apart from vote buying at the polling centers, politicians have devised other means of vote buying such as asking electorates of their account numbers with the aim of electronic transfer of money to them, buying of voters cards among others, adding all these approaches will fail because of the arrangements in place to tackle such.
Professor Sibini who is the National Electoral Commissioner in charge of Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa states expressed disappointment over the number of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) that were yet to be collected in Plateau and other states across the country adding that apart from huge amount of money spent on production of the PVCs, it was highly disturbing that many of the cards are yet to be collected months after their production while they had been sent to various INEC offices down to Local Government Areas for collection.
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“It is disturbing that after spending huge amount of money to produce the PVCs, people are not coming out to collect their voters cards. It is expected that they come out in their large number to collect the PVCs the same way they registered. However, we are not resting towards ensuring that they are collected before the closing date” she said.
She enjoined religious leaders to warn their followers who were politicians to play the game according to its dictate and as well educate the electorates to collect their PVCs before the closing date and as well sensitize them on the need to do this on time.
She said: “We want you to partner with us and at the same time educate your followers on voting procedures and the importance of PVC. We also want you to use your exalted positions to preach peace to your congregation as well.”
In his address, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Halilu Huseini Pai said INEC in the state received 512,532 PVC and so far 169,063 have been collected, leaving the balance of 343, 469 PVCs across the state adding that the Commission will take the PVCs to 207 RAs as from 16th-21st January 2019 for collection.
Mallam Pai who pointed out that the Commission recognized the role of security in providing a level playing field for free, fair and credible election therefore call for peaceful campaign and rallies while avoiding foul languages and hate speeches.
He also admonished the youths to shun violence and resist any temptation by the politicians to perpetrate violence adding that several groups have come forward to support the commission on sensitization programmes, avoiding violence and thuggery.
However, both the representatives of the Jamatu Nasril Islam and Christian Association of Nigeria, Plateau State Chapter, Alhaji Garba Abdulkadir and Reverend David Bilong respectively also enjoined the Commission to ensure a level playing field for all irrespective of their political parties.
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