Vote Buying, Increasing Attacks On Our Facilities Could Hamper 2023 Election – INEC

On Monday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) voiced its worry that ongoing attacks on its infrastructure were jeopardizing the success of the 2023 elections.

The commission bemoaned the futility of its previous attempts to stop vote-buying and warned that the practice could taint the integrity of the election process.

In spite of setbacks brought on by the frequent attacks on the commission’s facility, the chairman, who was represented by Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, said that the commission was making good progress before the 2023 general election.

In an effort to get ready for the polls, the electoral commission voiced its worries on Monday at two distinct gatherings in Abuja.

Yakubu further stated that if the attacks persisted into the election year, they might prevent the elections from going forward without a hitch.

Additionally, he warned that if the unrest in some areas of the nation continued, it might make it more difficult for candidates to receive the amount of votes necessary to be proclaimed the winner under the constitution.

“The commission is preparing well for the 2023 general elections. Although, we have recorded some reverses in some of the states of the federation in relation to attacks on some of our facilities leading to the destruction of ballot boxes, voting cubicles, and permanent voter cards. We have the capacity to recover from these attacks,’’ the commission’s chairman said.

“Since the 2019 general elections up till 2022, we have recorded 50 attacks in 15 states of the federation. The ones we recorded in 2022 are the ones we considered systematic and coordinated. They are targeted at derailing our commission from conducting free and credible elections. We are recovering and will recover. But if these attacks continue to January and February next year, it will be difficult for us to recover. This is because if you look at section 134 of the constitution, there are thresholds that a candidate must meet before he/she can be declared a winner of any election,” he added.