Kogi Bye Election: INEC Expresses Worry Over Vote Buying

INEC Set To Conduct Bye Election Into Lokoja-Koton-Karfe Federal Constituency

As Kogi State prepares for its bye election, slated for August 11, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor James Apam, has expressed worry over the stubborn evil of vote buying.

Apam who spoke today in Lokoja on the forthcoming Kogi bye-election expressed fear over a repeat of the Ekiti State governorship election where voters were allegedly induced with money before voting.

Briefing the press on the preparation for the bye-election into the Lokoja-Koton-Karfe Federal Constituency, Apam said there was little or nothing the commission could do to prevent people who have made up their minds to sell their votes.

“How do you prevent someone who took a camera into the voting cubicle to snap the party he or she had voted for and later showed it to the party and get paid?”

Professor Apam said it was the duty of various political parties to increase their enlightenment campaigns and education of voters not to sell their votes.

On the bye-election scheduled for Saturday, the commissioner said that they have received the assurance from the security agencies that both the staff and the materials for the election would be secure.