The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Friday in Lagos described vote buying as an act of corruption which the commission was committed to tackling.
Dr Musa Abubakar, the Acting Chairman of ICPC, made the declaration at a one-day ‘National Campaign Against Vote Buying and other Electoral Malpractices’ organised by the commission in conjunction with the Youth Alive Foundation(YAF).
According to Abubakar, represented by Mr Shintema Binga, the Zonal Commissioner for South-West in ICPC, vote buying, which is a type of electoral fraud, takes the form of collecting payment from candidates after voting for them, NAN reports
He urged Nigerian voters to shun attempts by unpatriotic elements in the society who might want to buy their conscience with foodstuff, cloth and cash
“Such payments are usually made through agents either directly or through phone transfer.
“Rigging can take the form of falsifying election results by changing figures to favour particular candidates.
“This is a falsification of official records and punishable under the ICPC Act 2000,’’ he said.
“If you allow them to succeed in doing so, they will make sure they steal resources meant for provision of water, healthcare, educational facilities and construction of roads.
“If such people force themselves on you by bribing you, they will not have your time because they have already settled you.
“I will also advise you to resist any attempt by such disgruntled elements to use your children as thugs to kill, maim and threaten political opponents.
“Admonish your children to resist such attempts; if being a political thug is a worthy way of life, let them recall their children studying abroad and use them as thugs, but they will never,’’ he said.
The acting chairman said that the commission had met with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman where issues of training and election monitoring were revisited.
According to him, the commission is prepared to monitor the 2019 general elections.
- DAILY POST
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