The chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has warned voters against going inside polling booths with their telephones, cameras and any other devices that can record images.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum held in Oshogbo on Monday in preparation for the Osun governorship election holding on Saturday September 22, Yakubu said step would curtail the incidence of vote-buying and vote-selling.
Vote buying is a form of electoral fraud which occurs when a political party or candidate seeks to buy the vote of a voter in an upcoming election.
It can take various forms such as a monetary exchange, as well as an exchange for necessary goods or services.
This practice is often used to incentivise or persuade voters to turn out to elections and vote in a particular way.
Despite the fact that this practice is illegal in many countries such as the United States, Argentina, Mexico, Kenya, it characterised the Ekiti governorship election which was held on July 14, 2018.
Yakubu said voters would not be barred from using their devices at the polling units but would not be allowed to hold their cameras and telephones from the moment they are issued with ballot papers until they cast their marked ballots inside the ballot boxes.
Meanwhile, the commission said it would deploy 16,000 staff for the conduct of election.
Yakubu said the commission is interested in the processes of the election and not in the outcome of the elections because the outcome is in the hands of voters.
He said the commission had strengthen the electoral process, adding that the era of ballot snatching and other irregularities often experienced during any election was gradually ending.
“The deployment of ICT has enhanced openness and transparency, we have come this far, votes count and will continue to count and votes will continue to be the determinant of who wins an election.
“So, now we are confronted with another challenge as a commission and that is the menace of vote buying, we have said over and over that it is a challenge and a shame on our electoral system.
“INEC will rise to this challenge just as we have risen to previous challenges in our electoral processes and am very sure that we will overcome.
“The problem is hydra- headed, therefore will require a number of approaches involving all stakeholders, INEC, security agents, political parties, civil society, media and the citizens to come together to address this challenge.’’
For his part, the inspector general of police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, said 40,000 of its personnel had been deployed to the state for the election.
Police spokesman, Mr. Jimoh Moshood said in Abuja that the personnel will be led by eight commissioners of police drawn from neighbouring states.
He also said two helicopters, 30 armoured personnel carriers and 300 patrol vehicles had been deployed to maintain security during the election.
He disclosed that the security formation for the election would be coordinated by the deputy inspector general of police in charge of operations, Mr. Joshak Habila
He, however, noted that personnel already on ground for the election comprised the police mobile force; counter-terrorism unit; special protection unit and the police anti-bomb squad.
The others are conventional policemen; the Armament Unit, Personnel of Federal Investigation and Intelligence Department, IGP Monitoring, IGP Intelligence Response teams, the sniffer dogs section and the Mounted Troops.
