ADO-EKITI, Nigeria — The head of Nigeria’s electoral umpire has issued a direct directive to law enforcement agencies to clamp down on political actors engaging in “vote trading,” branding the practice a severe criminal stain on the nation’s democratic integrity.
Speaking in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, stated that anti-corruption agencies and the police must show no mercy to anyone caught buying or selling votes during the upcoming off-cycle governorship election.
The warning came as the commission officially presented the certified voter register to political parties, revealing that the electorate in the western state has officially expanded to 1,059,360 eligible voters following the conclusion of a rigorous continuous registration exercise.
A Mandate for Law Enforcement
Professor Amupitan did not mince words regarding the financial inducement of voters, which has frequently marred regional elections across the country. He reminded political stakeholders that while INEC holds the statutory power to prosecute electoral offenders, the immediate task of arresting suspects on the ground falls squarely on state security agencies.
“This is a criminal offence under the Electoral Act, and it is the responsibility of the law enforcement agencies, especially the EFCC, the ICPC, and the police, to ensure that those who are involved in it are arrested and promptly prosecuted,” Professor Amupitan told party delegates.
“We urge all political parties to please refrain from this issue of vote trading because it is a big minus to the electoral process in Nigeria,” he added, noting that a formal cross-party peace accord would be signed on Thursday to bind candidates to issue-based campaigning.
Surge in Registered Voters
The presentation of the register exactly 30 days before the June 20 poll satisfies a vital constitutional requirement designed to ensure transparency before voting begins.
The newly published data show a significant demographic shift in the state:
- Total Electorate: 1,059,360 citizens are now certified to vote, a substantial increase from the 900,000 recorded during the 2023 general elections.
- New Enrolments: The continuous voter registration drive added roughly 66,000 new voters to the state’s database before the portal was frozen to process the upcoming ballot.
- Scrutiny Window: Political parties have been given a legal window to rigorously inspect the data and lodge any formal complaints regarding discrepancies or ineligible names.
The National Commissioner supervising the state, Sam Olumekun, reassured stakeholders that the compilation utilized advanced biometric verification to purge ghost entries. “Transparency at this stage strengthens confidence in outcomes on election day,” Mr. Olumekun noted. “No eligible voter has been disenfranchised, and no ineligible name will be allowed.”
Pledge for Rapid Result Transmission
Seeking to calm historical anxieties over the manipulation of ballots, Professor Amupitan pointed to rapid technological advancements tested in recent regional polls as proof that local votes will be protected.
The INEC chief recalled that while historical elections in difficult terrains like Anambra previously took up to five days to process, recent structural and digital overhauls allowed the commission to successfully upload and transmit 93% of polling station results to its central viewing portal by 7:00 pm on election night.
While asserting that the commission is technically fully prepared for the June vote, Professor Amupitan stressed that delivering a flawless election remains a shared civic responsibility. While INEC holds the mandate to build a credible foundation and educate the public, he concluded, it is the duty of the political parties to peacefully mobilise the electorate to turn out en masse rather than subverting the process with financial inducements.
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