The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has vowed that the commission will resist and clamp down on any attempt to induce voters before or during the forthcoming November 8 governorship election in Anambra State.
Amupitan issued the warning during the first consultative meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), where he emphasized the need for all Nigerians, especially political stakeholders, to unite against the growing menace of vote buying.
He described the practice as a major threat to the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process and reaffirmed INEC’s determination to restore integrity and transparency to elections.
“Security agencies cannot afford to create an environment that allows vote buyers to operate during the Anambra election,” Amupitan said.
“Together, let us combat vote buying, uphold the values of democracy, and work relentlessly for the credibility of our elections. The path ahead may be challenging, but if we stand united, there is nothing we cannot achieve.”
The INEC Chairman disclosed that the commission is working closely with relevant law enforcement and anti-graft agencies to track and prosecute individuals or groups planning to corrupt the voting process through financial inducement.
Amupitan further stated that INEC had conducted a comprehensive readiness assessment across Anambra State and expressed confidence in the commission’s preparedness for the November 8 polls.
According to him, a mock accreditation exercise was recently carried out in 12 selected polling units across six local government areas of the state, using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to test equipment functionality and field logistics.
The INEC boss reiterated that the commission remains fully committed to ensuring a free, fair, credible, and peaceful election in Anambra State, stressing that collaboration among security agencies, political actors, and the electorate is key to achieving that goal.
