Osun poll: INEC pledges to tackle rigging

Osogbo – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osogbo on Monday said the commission had put in place measures to forestall rigging in the Aug. 9 governorship election.

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Amb. Rufus Akeju, stated this at the opening of a two-day workshop at the NUJ Press Centre in Osogbo.

The workshop was organised by the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in collaboration with a Non-Governmental Organisation, Democracy Vanguard.
File photo: INEC officials

Akeju said the election would be transparent as it would be strictly monitored by election observers from both within and outside the country.


The commissioner expressed the determination of the commission to guard against rigging and all forms of malpractices.

He also said that the commission would ensure thorough supervision and peaceful conduct of the exercise.

“Politicians can only try to rig the election but they cannot succeed with their plan going by our preparations for the poll.

“INEC has now made rigging very difficult during elections; the ballot paper to be used cannot be used more than once and it can’t be used by another person,” he said.

He assured the political class and the public that the election would be free, fair and credible, adding that no effort would be spared to protect the integrity of the commission.

Akeju, however, called on journalists to also play their professional roles in the conduct of the election and remain unbiased in their reportage before, during and after the election.

Earlier, Democracy Vanguard Coordinator, Mr Adeola Soetan, advised voters to come out en-masse to exercise their civic duty and ensure they monitored their votes. (NAN)