Osun Governorship: INEC Chairman Speaks On Vote Buying

Yakubu Promises To Arrest And Prosecute Any Vote Buyer

Ahead of the gubernatorial election in Osun State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, on Friday, stated that any one found engaging in vote-buying in the election will be arrested and prosecuted.

Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman, made this known at the commission’s quarterly consultative meeting with political parties on Friday in Abuja.

He stated that the commission would no longer take the issue of vote-buying lightly, as the issue had become a recurring incident in the country’s election.

“We are witnessing an ugly trend of vote-buying in recent elections in the country; this is giving our democracy a bad name.

“There is difference between democracy – government of the people, made by the people and for the people and plutocracy, which is government by the rich.

“We are going to make Osun governorship election a big statement by arresting and prosecuting vote buyers. We can’t carry this ugly trend to 2019 elections,” Yakubu said.

He took the opprotunity to call on political parties to adhere strictly to the timetable of the commission and schedule of activities for the 2019 general elections.

The chairman advised political parties to ensure that their primaries were credible, saying credible and peaceful elections started with political parties, which were the cornerstone of democracy.