By Isaac Aregbesola
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday said it has embarked on last-minute and vigorous enlightenment against vote-buying and all forms of electoral fraud
EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement in Abuja said the Commission’s officers were deployed to the 36 states of the federation and the FCT in this regard.
He said they took their campaign to media houses, Bureau De Change (BDC) operators and INEC officials.
“The focus of the campaign was on the need for collaboration to forestall electoral malpractices, with a view to delivering transparent, credible and peaceful elections,” the spokesperson said.
Uwujaren disclosed that the EFCC Commander, Osita Nwajah, who is anchoring the Commission’s election monitoring activities in Abia, was in Akwa Ibom on Thursday
He said Nwajah was involved in live radio interview at Comfort 95.1 FM in Uyo to sensitise the people of Akwa Ibom to what constitutes electoral malpractices.
“He also visited XL 106.9 FM, ABN Television and Passion 94.1 FM, all in Uyo. He enlightened the public on vote-buying/vote-selling, voters’ inducement and how to report the same before and during the elections.
“Nwajah who was equally at the office of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Abia, disclosed channels through which members of the public can immediately report any observed infraction to the Commission,” Uwujaren said.
He added also that an Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Aliyu Naibi, led operatives at the Port Harcourt Command to sensitise BDC operators in Bayelsa.
”The EFCC officials warned them to avoid being used by politicians for vote-buying,” Uwujaren said.
He disclosed further that a team led by Assistant Commander of EFCC, Eze Johnson, similarly visited BDCs at Ibusa in Delta, and sensitised them to work against the ills of vote-buying.
The team, Uwujaren said, also stressed the need to discourage members from being used by politicians.
“The Chairman of BDCs in the state, Alhaji Adamu Musa, even commended the team for the exercise,” he said.
The EFCC spokesperson however said real-time information on the engagements by EFCC operatives monitoring the elections and various sensitisation messages can be accessed using the Commission’s social media platform —- @officialefcc. (NAN)
