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Ahead of next month’s governorship election in Ekiti State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had identified 299 flash points in the state.
The development comes as the Commission has disclosed that it would use Enhanced Card Readers in the July 4 exercise.
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ekiti State, Abdulganiyu Raji, stated these in Abuja on Tuesday at a dialogue session with Situation Room – a coalition of over 70 civil society organisations.
Although the REC did not disclose the names of the flash points, due to what he attributed to security reasons, he, however, said the electoral body is working with security agencies to ensure that the crisis areas are reduced to the barest minimum before the election.
In his remarks, INEC National Commissioner supervising Ekiti State, Solomon Soyebi, said the commission has put measures in place to checkmate votes buying that characterised off cycle elections in Edo, Ondo and Anambra States.
He said in the forthcoming governorship election in Ekiti State, vehicles will not be allowed to park near voting units, even as he stressed the need for politicians to focus on issue-based campaigns.
His words: “We are very much aware of pay-as-you-vote syndrome. It is something which the Commission frowns at and work seriously against. We saw it in Anambra and we are saying it to the whole world now. As much as possible, we don’t want vehicles in our voting areas. That is where they keep the money.
“We have aligned our voting stations in such a way that it is difficult for you to expose the choice you have made on the ballot paper.
“It is after they see what you have chosen that you are blessed with something from their pockets.
“We don’t want monetisation of the process. Let people choose freely. This is the time for every politician to tell the people what they have for them.
“We are frowning at hate speeches. Tell the people what you want to do. Don’t abuse your opponent. We want campaigns that will be issue based”.
Earlier in his remarks, the Convener of Situation Room, Clement Nwankwo, expressed concern about the use of security agents to hound perceived political enemies of the present administration.
This, he said, portends grave danger for the next general election.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
