A coalition of election observer groups have called on the National
Assembly to review the Electoral Act to make perpetrators of vote buying
get jail terms in the country.
To kick start the process, the coalition has asked the Chairman of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, to set machinery in motion
to ensure that such review is carried out before the 2019 general
elections, to make the country’s election attain global reckoning.
The civil society organisations which made this call in
their report on the July 14 Ekiti governorship election, include: New
Initiative For Social Development (NISD), International Federal of Women
Lawyers (FIDA) and Centre for Social Justice, Good Health and Community
Development (CSJGHCD).
They adjudged INEC and security agencies to have done creditably in the conduct of the election.
At a press conference jointly addressed by the NISD Executive
Director, Abiodun Oyeleye and FIDA Programme Officer, Blessing Ajileye,
on Monday, the groups noted that INEC improved tremendously in the
conduct of the election compared to previous elections that were
substantially rated to have either turned inconclusive or marred with
irregularities.
They said the five security men per polling unit structure deployed
for the conduct of the poll checkmated incidents of ballot snatching
that had been identified to be the greatest impediment of electioneering
in the past.
Oyeleye, who delivered the report , exonerated the police of
complicity in the vote buying syndrome, noting that chasing the
perpetrators around the polling units might distract their attentions
from the fundamental function of protecting election materials, the
electorate and INEC staff during elections.
“The election represented the will of the people of Ekiti State, with
the exception of votes buying we noticed. Many of those who cast their
votes were willing to be bought. Some even waited at the polling units
waiting for the highest bidder. And our observation showed that all
parties were culpable of this.
“We recommend effective sanctions for political parties who engage in
inducement of voters to curb the ugly menace and this can only happen
when the National Assembly review the existing laws.
“If you sell your votes, you can’t be expecting good roads, good
healthcare delivery among others, because you have made politicians to
see elections as investments.
“To help the INEC in this regard, governments must prioritise the
welfare of the people. A situation whereby salaries and pensions are not
paid for as long as seven or eight months can make people vulnerable to
votes buying on election day”, Oyeleye stated.
Oyeleye applauded INEC for the prompt arrival of materials at the
polling units, saying accreditation and voting commenced in most polling
units in Ekiti as early as 8am.
On her part, the FIDA boss, Ajileye praised the security agencies ,
INEC and the electorate for giving out their best for the success of the
election.
She added that 85 per cent of the smart card readers deployed in
Ekiti were functional, stressing that this also added to the credibility
of the election.
The FIDA chief urged the public to discountenance allegations that
the security and INEC connived to fabricate figures in favour of a
particular political party.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Disclaimer: Comment expressed do not reflect the opinion of African Parliamentary News