INEC FCT vote buying warning: Prof Joash Amupitan assures credible February 21 elections, pledging prosecution of offenders
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that vote buying will not be tolerated in the February 21 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections.
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INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, issued the warning on Wednesday in Abuja, emphasising that anyone found guilty of manipulating votes will face prosecution.
He assured FCT residents that the elections will be peaceful, transparent, and credible, with over 1.6 million registered voters across 2,822 polling units, and 570 candidates contesting 68 seats.
Amupitan stressed that INEC maintains neutrality and has no preferred candidate. He confirmed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be deployed in all polling units, with results uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV).
“The Commission has accredited 89 observer groups and 700 journalists to monitor the process,” he said.
Security agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), will ensure safety and curb vote buying during the elections.
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INEC reiterated that the responsibility for credible elections is shared among all stakeholders and warned that perpetrators of vote buying will face strict legal consequences.
