The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Mike Igini, has said vote buying undermines the sanctity of the ballot and legitimacy of the electoral processes.
Igini, who spoke against the backdrop of concerns being raised over vote buying ahead of the February and March general elections, said the only way out of the menace was to commence the prosecution of all those found culpable.
In an interview with newsmen, he said despite the non-signing of the amended Electoral Act into law, the Independent National Electoral Commission had been constitutionally empowered to conduct credible elections.
He said as long as there were no consequences for those involved in the buying and selling of votes, the perpetuators would continue to flout the electoral laws with impunity.
Igini said, “Vote buying debases the sanctity of the ballot and it undermines the legitimacy of the process.
“Vote buying is inimical to development. This is because once votes are sold to the highest bidder, elections, which are meant to hold elected officials accountable for their actions and promises, will lose their utility.
“I have said that the best response is enforcement of sections 124 and 130 that clearly spell out these electoral offences in the Act.
“As long as there are no consequences and people flout electoral laws with impunity, whatever we say is worthless. Every wrongdoing that is not punished or that is rewarded would be repeated. There should be consequences such as jail terms, outright ban from participation in politics and possibly life ban for some people after conviction.”
Speaking on the forthcoming elections, Igini said the absence of an amended Electoral Act should not be a basis for not having credible elections, adding that the commission was one of the executive bodies created by the constitution under Section 153.
“The same constitution donated to INEC to the exclusion of any other body under paragraph 15 of the third schedule, the power to “organise, undertake and supervise the conduct of elections into certain offices listed in the constitution.”
He added, “INEC is the only body granted this unfettered power to determine the best operational rules and procedures that would enable it to conduct credible elections by providing a level playing field.”
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Igini, who spoke against the backdrop of concerns being raised over vote buying ahead of the February and March general elections, said the only way out of the menace was to commence the prosecution of all those found culpable.
In an interview with newsmen, he said despite the non-signing of the amended Electoral Act into law, the Independent National Electoral Commission had been constitutionally empowered to conduct credible elections.
He said as long as there were no consequences for those involved in the buying and selling of votes, the perpetuators would continue to flout the electoral laws with impunity.
Igini said, “Vote buying debases the sanctity of the ballot and it undermines the legitimacy of the process.
“Vote buying is inimical to development. This is because once votes are sold to the highest bidder, elections, which are meant to hold elected officials accountable for their actions and promises, will lose their utility.
“I have said that the best response is enforcement of sections 124 and 130 that clearly spell out these electoral offences in the Act.
“As long as there are no consequences and people flout electoral laws with impunity, whatever we say is worthless. Every wrongdoing that is not punished or that is rewarded would be repeated. There should be consequences such as jail terms, outright ban from participation in politics and possibly life ban for some people after conviction.”
Speaking on the forthcoming elections, Igini said the absence of an amended Electoral Act should not be a basis for not having credible elections, adding that the commission was one of the executive bodies created by the constitution under Section 153.
“The same constitution donated to INEC to the exclusion of any other body under paragraph 15 of the third schedule, the power to “organise, undertake and supervise the conduct of elections into certain offices listed in the constitution.”
He added, “INEC is the only body granted this unfettered power to determine the best operational rules and procedures that would enable it to conduct credible elections by providing a level playing field.”
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