Nigeria’s electoral umpire has issued a stern warning against “vote trading” ahead of this Saturday’s local government elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), announcing that anti-corruption agents will be stationed at polling units to arrest anyone buying or selling ballots. Professor Joash Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), told a gathering of stakeholders in Abuja on Wednesday that the practice “undermines the sanctity of the ballot” and would not be tolerated.”The Commission has given an express mandate to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the ICPC to deploy their personnel to polling units,” Prof. Amupitan said. “Any individual found buying or selling votes will be apprehended and dealt with in accordance with the law.”The move comes as Nigeria struggles to shake off the influence of “money politics,” where voters in impoverished areas are often offered cash or food items in exchange for their support.
A Test for Grassroots Democracy
The FCT Area Council election, scheduled for Saturday, 21 February, is unique in Nigeria. While elections for the country’s 36 states are managed by local commissions often accused of bias toward sitting governors, the Abuja polls are the only local government elections conducted directly by the national body, INEC. Prof. Amupitan described the upcoming vote as a “reference point” for democracy in the country, noting the high stakes involved:
Voters: 1.68 million registered residents.
Positions: 68 seats (including 6 Chairmen and 62 Councillors).
Candidates: 570 individuals vying for office.
Tech and Logistics
To prevent the manual rigging that has dogged previous Nigerian elections, the Commission confirmed it has upgraded its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). The handheld devices, which use facial and fingerprint recognition, will be deployed across all 2,822 polling units.”The devices have been thoroughly tested and fully charged,” the Chairman assured, adding that results will be uploaded in real-time to a public viewing portal to ensure transparency. However, logistics remain a perennial challenge in Africa’s most populous nation. To reach the capital’s more remote rural outposts, INEC has mobilised a fleet of over 1,100 vehicles, 620 motorcycles, and 14 boats.
“No Preferred Candidate”
Addressing concerns over impartiality, Prof. Amupitan reiterated that the commission remains neutral. “INEC does not have a political party and does not have a preferred candidate,” he stated, urging the 89 accredited domestic and foreign observer groups to help hold the process to account. As the midnight deadline for campaigning approaches on Thursday, the heavy presence of security forces and anti-graft agents in Abuja signals a high-pressure weekend for a city that serves as the diplomatic and political heart of the country.
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