Vote buying: INEC bars party agents from taking POS to polling units

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has banned party agents or anyone affiliated to political parties from taking Point of Sale (POS) machines to polling units across Anambra State.

Also banned from polling centres are materials capable of being used as inducement to lure voters into selling their votes.

Anambra State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Elizabeth Agwu stated this in a press briefing on Friday, ahead of Saturday’s House of Assembly election in the state.

During the presidential election, there were allegations of people using POS to transfer money to voters as a way to beat the cashless policy of the federal government, while some political parties deployed bales of wrappers, cartons of noodles and other food items to induce voters.

Agwu during the press briefing said the commission was ready for the election, and that election materials have been moved to all parts of the state.

Agwu stated: “The commission will not tolerate vote buying. We will not allow party agents to take POS machines into the polling centres, or any other material that can be used to induce the people.

“We have 21 local governments and we have watched and distributed our materials down, most especially the ballot papers that are meant for the State Assembly elections and this has been properly and systematically outlined so that there won’t be a mix-up