Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has urged security agencies, particularly the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to target individuals planning to engage in vote-buying on the Election Day in Edo State.

He made the call in Benin, the Edo State capital on Tuesday, when he met with members of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES.

Yakubu noted that there were interests locally and internationally in the conduct of the Edo State Governorship election.

Stressing the importance of collaboration between security agencies and the Commission, he underscored that synergy is crucial to ensuring the election is widely regarded as credible and peaceful.

He emphasized the threat and dangers that vote-buying poses to Nigeria’s democratic process and urged the ICPC and EFCC to implement effective strategies to combat this growing concern.

His words, “You need to deploy a strategy for combating vote buying. It has been a feature in our elections and the more INEC improves on the processes, the more some people try to beat the process by now going to buy the votes at the polling units.

“In any case, if people are buying votes, it means that the votes are counting, that is why they are buying the votes, but we can’t allow vote buyers to determine who wins our democratic elections. It is a democracy of the people, by the people, for the people and not a plutocracy which is only open for the rich”.

On his part, the Commissioner of Police for Edo State, Nemo Edwin-Iwo, assured of adequate security before, during and after the election.

He said the police had reviewed and enhanced their strategy for securing the state and confirmed that arrangements had been finalised in synergy with other security agencies to deploy enough security personnel from both within Edo and other states to dominate the space and ensure maximum security throughout the election process.

CP Edwin-Iwo also assured that non-state actors will not be allowed to undermine the electoral process.

He disclosed that security agencies have already initiated actions against groups and individuals who may be plotting to disrupt the elections in Edo State.