Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), says it has deployed operatives to monitor the upcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi States scheduled for Saturday, 11th November 2023.
The commission’s operatives have been deployed to the 56 local government areas and 649 wards to monitor and prevent vote-buying and other electoral malpractices at the various polling units during the electoral exercise.
The commission’s spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, disclosed this in a press statement in Abuja.
“The monitoring exercise is a response to the invitation by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for the ICPC to participate in ensuring that the electoral processes in these three states are free and fair,” said the spokesperson.
While addressing operatives before their deployment, the commission’s Head of Special Duty Division (SDD), Mr Alex Chukwura, called on operatives to collaborate with the military, police, Department of State Security (DSS), other security agencies, and the INEC to ensure that the elections are free and fair.
Mr Chukwura charged operatives to strictly adhere to the ICPC guidelines for monitoring elections, adding that officers should always act with discipline and imbibe the spirit of integrity while on the field, staying close to each other and working as a team to achieve the desired goal.
The officers were also advised to take necessary actions against perpetrators of any acts of corruption in accordance with the law, no matter their social status in the election processes.
Mrs Ogugua urged voters in the three states to go out on the Election Day and perform their civic responsibilities while avoiding any act that could lead to electoral and other related offences.
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