INEC bans mobile phones in FCT polls

In Saturday’s Area Aouncils election in the Federal Capital Territory, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned political gladiators to avoid vote-buying and has also banned the use of mobile phones (FCT).

Anyone caught breaking the directive, according to the commission, will face the full force of the law.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, issued the warning during a Stakeholders’ Meeting on the 2022 FCT Area Councils Election Tuesday in Abuja.

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“The ban on the use of cellphones and other photographic devices in voting booths remains in effect,” he said.

“I’d like to reiterate that all forms of voter bribery, including vote-buying at polling stations, are illegal.
The parties leadership and candidates participating in the poll accepted to committing to a peaceful and violence-free election and also signed a memorandum to the effect.

According to Prof. Mahmood, voter inducement in all forms, including vote-buying at polling units, was a violation that will be visited with strictness, although he did not say how the commission intends to carry this out given its failure over the years to put such ultimatums to task.

He further explained that “INEC has accredited 58 Observer Groups, will be deploying a total of 2,242 Field Observers, including 45 media organisations, with 340 journalists for the poll”.

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He added that “593 polling units in the FCT are without registered voters, 1,328 polling units with between 1-50 voters, while 546 polling units are with over 1,000 registered voters”.

He however declared that election would not take place at the 593 polling units without registered voters, stressing that materials were not produced for these units and no personnel will be deployed there.

He said that ballot papers have been customised for specific polling stations as a way to frustrating politicians who might resort to rigging.

“The commission reviewed the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the recent Anambra State governorship election and we are happy we made progress with that and the lessons learned from the election have been considered in planning for the Area Council poll,” he said.

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Yakubu noted that the BVAS had been configured and ready for deployment for the FCT elections.