Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed plans to plant undercover security personnel on election day.
According to the Commission’s Chairman for Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, the commission in collaboration with security agencies are committed to delivering free, fair and credible elections to all Nigerians.
Okoye while speaking in Abuja at a programme tagged citizens’ election dialogue with the theme “What makes a good election in Nigeria” remarked that the above tactics is a way to tackle the menace of vote buying during the general elections.
“We have also made sure that people do not enter the voting compartments with their mobile phones that can take pictures and we’re also collaborating with the different security agencies under the auspices of the inter-agency consultative committee on election security to make sure that plain clothe security personnel is deployed to some polling units on election day to stem the issue of vote buying and vote selling,” he said.
He also maintained that to address the issue of vote buying, the commission has as well reconfigured the various polling units to guarantee the secrecy of the votes, and that it’s focused and determined to give Nigerians a good election.
Okoye furthered that the electoral body will continue to train its members of staff not only to ensure that election officials know how to configure and position the voting cubicle to guarantee the secrecy of the votes, but to also ensure a hitch-free poll.
“It’s fashionable to grandstand relating to the commitment of the INEC to free, fair and transparent election. But you should also flip back and look at some of the party primaries that some of the political parties conducted and how well they conducted them,” he noted.
He said it was noteworthy to know that INEC will make sure technology is deployed and “we’re also going to make sure that we transmit polling unit results into our INEC viewing portal.”
Meanwhile, the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, in a related development said the commission would consolidate on the success of the governorship elections held in Osun and Ekiti States in the delivery of election materials.
He also assured Nigerians on the commission’s zeal to improve its processes and procedures to give them a pleasant experience at the forthcoming polls.
Yakubu however noted that to achieve that pleasant experience, the partnership and support of all stakeholders will be needed.
The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, has also assured Nigerians that the police force would provide security for all persons and properties that would be involved in the entire process of the 2023 polls.
Baba explained that since INEC has since confirmed the commencement of electoral campaigns for political parties, It is worth to note that the Nigeria Police Force’s statutory obligations include election security, political campaigns, and security tolerance.
He then urged political actors to play the games by the Electoral Act 2022, while the Nigeria Police Force ensures the safety and security of all persons and properties involved in the entire electoral process.
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