EFCC Monitors Edo Polling Units, Tackles Vote Buying
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) officials stormed polling units in Benin, the Edo State capital, on Saturday to prevent vote buying during the ongoing governorship election.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that operatives, dressed in their branded camouflage uniforms and vests, combed polling booths and surrounding areas in a bid to identify and apprehend vote buyers.
At Oredo Ward 1, located at the former Garrick Memorial College, the EFCC operatives were seen thoroughly searching even a dilapidated structure within the premises.
Some voters, however, criticized the EFCC’s approach. Eric Elijah, one of the electorate, suggested that the agency should have deployed undercover agents instead of wearing their uniforms, as this would have allowed them to catch vote buyers more effectively. “The way they arrived in uniform made it obvious, so the vote buyers adjusted,” Elijah noted. He also suggested that the EFCC should have arrived earlier to catch offenders “red-handed.”
Another voter, Mr. Lugard Osaro, an octogenarian, praised the presence of the EFCC but emphasized that the potential winner of the election should build on the achievements of the outgoing governor.
Meanwhile, at Oredo Ward 3, Ezomon Primary School, some voters pointed out that the EFCC operatives arrived late, suggesting that their presence from the commencement of voting would have been more effective. They also stressed the importance of ensuring that the people’s votes count, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain transparency in the process.
