The Independent National Electoral Commission said it had uncovered plans by some political actors to use food vendors around polling units for vote-buying in the forthcoming general elections.
Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this when he received a delegation of European Union Observation Team, led by Chief Observer, Mrs Maria Arena, to INEC on Monday, in Abuja.
Yakubu said that in INEC’s determination to improve elections and ensure that votes counted, the commission had taken steps to address the disturbing trend of vote-buying by politicians.
He said that the steps included modification of the administration of polling units to make it difficult for voters to expose their marked ballot papers on the day of the election.
He said that the commission had also introduced a partial ban on the use of mobile phones and other electronic devices by voters while in the voting cubicles.
“We are also introducing the rolling and flattening of ballot papers by voters on the day of the election.
“We are training our election duty staff, in addition to voter education and sensitization, on this new innovation. We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring the sanctity of the ballot.’’
The chairman explained that political actors planned to use food vendors “around polling units with large voter populations as collection points for cash-for-votes as well as other forms of material inducement to voters on election day’’.
“We are aware of this trick. It will not work,” he said.
Yakubu also denied the claim that INEC had outsourced the recruitment of election duty staff to partisan actors.
He said that the Commission had established clear criteria for recruiting its ad hoc staff and Collation and Returning Officers, which, according to him, had been the practice over several electoral cycles.
“In addition, there is a clearly established system for vetting all election duty staff before they are engaged.
“Therefore, the claim that the Commission has outsourced the recruitment of election duty staff to partisan actors is the usual allegation on the eve of elections and should be disregarded.
“With 25 days to the 2019 General Elections, the Commission’s attention is firmly focused on the conduct of credible elections. We will not be distracted into a fatuous debate.’’