Ahmad Makama, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) gave the warning today at a one day voter education and sensitization campaign towards February/March elections organized by National Orientation Agency in Damaturu.
He said the commission will not hesitate in applying the application of Sections 139(a) and 124 of the Electoral Act 2010 ( as amended) which clearly spelt out punishments to offenders.
“Another important issue which the commission would like to draw the attention of the public is the buying and selling of votes.
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Similarly, according to the REC Section 124 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) states that person receiving any money or gift for voting or to refrain from voting at any election, shall on conviction be liable to a fine of N500,000 or twelve (12) months imprisonment or both.
The commissioner of the electoral umpire in the state also urged stakeholders to assist by engaging in publicity to call upon voters to come and collect their permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) at the location they registered initially.
“INEC in Yobe state has received a total of 338,933 permanent voters’ cards from the National Headquarters, out of this figure 199,551 PVCs were collected by their owners and have a balance of 139,377 PVCs and when added to the balance of 2015 PVCs (33,010) we now have a total of 172,387 PVCs uncollected still with the commission”, he noted.
Earlier, Dr. Garba Abari, Director General National Orientation Ageny (NOA) represented by Mr. Nom Simeon told the gathering that the sensitization was inline with agency’s mandate to awaken the consciousness of Nigerians to their civic responsibilities, hence it has become necessary to embark on a nationwide political education in order to achieve successful elections.
“We in the National Orientation Agency are delighted to observed that so far so good, the electioneering campaigns have been largely issue based. We implore that this attitude be sustained.
“We are however, concerned by some prevailing negative attitudes being exhibited by the electorates – fake news particularly in the social media designed to achieve undue political advantages, hate speeches, vote selling and buying, some spate of violence and ballot snatching as well as other electoral vices”, he said.
The campaign brought together heads of security agencies, civil society organisations (CSOs), youths associations, religious leaders and media executives operating in the state, and was aimed at achieving violent free elections that would be free, fair, credible and acceptable.
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