Bello cautions INEC staff against electoral fraud

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Friday cautioned regular and ad-hoc staff of INEC against indulging in electoral fraud and other malpractices that could mar the state and national assembly supplementary elections.

Bello gave the charge in a state-wide broadcast in Lokoja ahead of the governorship and state houses of assembly elections holding on Saturday, March 9.

He warned that workers of the commission involved in electoral misdeeds would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

“Anyone, who facilitates or indulges in electoral offences will be held responsible and prosecuted. INEC workers must be fully committed to giving Nigeria a free, fair and credible election,” he said.

He assured electoral officers deployed to the state of full security coverage irrespective of their locations, adding that they had nothing to fear as long as they adhered to the rules and performed their duties conscientiously.

Bello expressed gratitude to God for the overall peace and security which the state enjoyed before and after the Feb. 23 Presidential and National Assembly Elections, and commended security agencies for their proactive steps throughout the exercise.

He urged the security agencies to plug loopholes identified in the first exercise so as to ward off security threats and other isolated instances that marred the last rounds of the elections in some areas.

Bello advised political parties, their candidates and supporters to continue to maintain peace, stressing that any attempt to endanger the populace before, during and after the elections would be resisted.