INEC ready, troublemakers will be prosecuted – Osun REC, Agboke

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has reiterated that it is set for the conduct of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.

This was made known by Dr Mutiu Agboke, the Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner, during an interactive session on a live radio programme in Osogbo on Friday.

Agboke, who maintained that INEC’s sensitive and non-sensitive materials were safely in the Commission’s local government offices, warned that no politician, according to the Electoral Act, is allowed to campaign again.

He also warned that violators would be arrested and prosecuted.

The Osun INEC boss stated that voting would start by 8:30 am and close by 2:30 pm subject to the voters in the queue.

“Elections start 8:30 am on election day and close by 2:30 pm subject to people in the queues.

“1,250 is the minimal electorates per polling units, and if there is more, more BVAS would be added,” he said.

In terms of security on election day, Agboke stated that the Commission is on the same page with the Osun Commissioner of Police, Peter Abayomi.

Encouraging citizens to notify him of infractions, he advised the electorates to ignore vote buying and inducements from the politicians.

“On vote buying, arrangements on ground is a synergy between the EFCC, ICPC and Nigerian Police. Any violators would go to jail.

“Let your mind determine. Let your PVC talk. If any person comes to a polling unit without a PVC, that person is an intruder, and the person will go to jail from the polling unit.

“No ballot paper without accreditation through the BVAS. Nobody should be allowed. Anybody trying to cause violence should be reported to the security agencies,” he added.