The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) said it is partnering with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission(ICPC), National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) and Other relevant stakeholders to deal with vote buyers and sellers at polling units in 2023 elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, gave this revelation at a one day stakeholders’ summit on addressing the influence of money in the 2023 general election on Monday in Abuja.
Professor Yakubu said the negative role of money in elections goes to the very heart of democracy. It destroys the very basis of democratic elections which is that citizens should freely choose those who exercise power on their behalf.
He noted that it renders the emergence of the right candidates for positions extremely difficult, undermines fair electoral adjudication, and destroys the professional and independent conduct of INEC officials and other public agencies involved in elections. Even more worrisome is the high prospect that criminal money may find its way into elections through money laundering.
The INEC Chairman believed that in dealing with the corruption of the elections by money, the Commission cannot do it alone but to mobilize every relevant national institution to support their effort.
” We must rely on the professional and other capacities of cognate agencies in our determination to improve electoral administration in Nigeria.
“That is why we appreciate the collaboration with the Police, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as the regulatory bodies such as the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON).
“We welcome the assurances of full collaboration, commitment and partnership of these agencies to credible elections based on their statutory responsibilities. We look forward to their initial ideas about how to deal with the problem when they address us shortly” he ended.
While addressing participants, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba represented by AIG Operations, Alhaji Bala Chiroma said concerted efforts are being made by the Nigerian police as lead agency in the electoral security management to ensure that the use of money is not allowed to influence the 2023 general elections. "We'll achieve this in synergy with sister agencies, anti graft and intelligence agencies and other stakeholders.
"We will also ensure that the police squad, intelligence officers and investigators are moved to the field to ensure that politicians, who move on election day with tons of money or physical cash for vote buying are apprehended and dealt with within the confines of the law", he added.
In his word, Chairman EFCC, Abdurasheed Bawa represented by Chief of Staff to the Chairman, Mrs. Hadiza Gamawa lamented that the country has continued to witness a large section of the society by politicians who succeed in controlling the vulnerable electorate to train their vote for a paltry sum, a temporary benefit or an unfulfilled promise, many times the vulnerable remain oblivious to the consequence of vote buying.
"They fail to understand that when they sell their vote, they also give up their right to demand for transparency and accountability from the elected leaders. They sold their future and that of their unborn children for an insignificant and greed", he said.
The IPAC Chairman, Engr. Yabagi Sani stated that the limitations on the use of money in elections are critical as mechanisms for checking manipulations and corruption of the electorate, the electoral officials, the security agencies, and they surely have very critical roles to play in ensuring that result of elections reflect the true wishes of the electorate.
National Commissioner & Chairman, Election and Party Monitoring Committee INEC, Mr. Sam Olumekun thanked guests and participants at the One day Stakeholders Summit to address the influence of money on the 2023 General Election and reassured the commitment of INEC to give a free, fair and credible election come 2023.
Participants at the summite were, Inspector General of Police, Chairman ICPC, and EFCC, Director General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Director General, Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Director General, National Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Chairman Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), National Commissioners INEC, Representatives of Various Security and Safety Agencies, Chairman Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Chairman Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), President Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Representatives of Financial Institutions, and Leaders of CSOs.
