IMO ELECTION: INEC IDENTIFIES VOTE BUYING AS A FACTOR MILITATING AGAINST FREE, FARE AND CREDIBLE ELECTION 02-10-23
By Sadiq Aminu The Independent National electoral Commission INEC has identified vote buying, suppression of voters and security lapses as some of the issues militating against the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.
The Deputy Director Electoral Training and Coordinator INEC Electoral Risk Management Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Agoha made this known during an election risk management workshop organized for electoral officers and Inter Agency Consultative Community on Election Security held in Owerri.
Mr. Agoha said the meeting was aimed at identifying possible triggers of election risk in Imo state and finding ways of mitigating them.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state Professor Sylvia Agoha said the meeting would equip the participants with relevant information on likely threats to the election to enable them to take proactive measures towards ensuring credible polls.
Professor Agu explained that the commission was considering creating situation rooms across the local government areas for prompt response to emergencies adding that the commission will do everything within its’ means to ensure that the outcome of the next month’s governorship election reflected the will of the people.
A member of the civil society Mr. Samuel Ozonna appealed to INEC to conduct the election within the guidelines noting that the people often get agitated when issues like late arrival of materials or malfunctioning of equipment are observed during elections.
Correspondent Sadiq Aminu, reports that the workshop was attended by electoral officers, security agents, civil society groups and the media.