The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned security agencies deployed for the November 8 Anambra governorship election against creating conditions that encourage vote buying, calling it a major threat to democracy and public trust.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), issued the warning during a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in Abuja. He emphasized that law enforcement and anti-graft bodies must work together to curb voter inducement.
“Security agents must not enable vote buyers. Together, we must uphold democracy and ensure credible elections,” Amupitan said. He reaffirmed INEC’s readiness for the poll, noting that 24,000 ad hoc staff will be deployed across 5,718 polling units. Results will be collated through the standard three-tier system from ward to state level.
To boost voter participation, INEC extended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from October 29 to November 2, after revealing that only 63.9% of registered voters had collected theirs.
National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, represented by Hassan Abdullahi, warned that any act of violence or disruption would face a firm government response. “The government has zero tolerance for electoral violence,” he said, adding that a robust joint security plan is in place.
The Inspector-General of Police, represented by CP Abayomi Shogunle, announced the deployment of 45,000 officers to secure the election, while NYSC Director-General Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed Ogunnafunne assured adequate protection for corps members on duty.
