INEC Admits Politicians Bought Votes During Ekiti Election

.....Says politicians were clever about it

By Josephine Ella-Ejeh

The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has confirmed that politicians bought votes during last Saturday's governorship election in Ekiti State.

INEC National Commissioner and Chair, Legal Services Committee, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu made the confirmation while addressing journalists in Benin City on Wednesday.

Agbamuche-Mbu who said the politicians in question 'were clever' about it,added however, that the commission is willing to curb vote buying by politicians during elections.

According to the INEC Commissioner, the commission is taking drastic measures on vote buying, in order to curb the trend during the next governorship election in Osun State.

“We are having another conference on electoral offences. Vote buying is another electoral offence and we are looking at ways to curb it. Politicians keep trying their best. Politicians were clever in Ekiti. They have ingenious ways to sort themselves out. We will go back and review it and see how we can stop vote buying with the best of our ability.

“INEC is taking issue of vote buying very seriously. I am just coming as part of the Supervising National Commissioner for Ekiti and these things occur," she said.

Agbamuche-Mbu stressed the need for adequate enlightenment and education of the electorate on the dangers of exchanging their votes for cash.

“ Security agencies did well in Ekiti. We have to continue to enlighten and educate our electorate. It is to educate our people for them to realize that their votes count and not all about money,”she said.

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