UPP demands involvement of EFCC in election monitoring in Anambra

The United Progressives Party (UPP) has demanded for the involvement of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the forth coming governorship election in Anambra State to checkmate money bags from buying over the voters.

The party equally challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to live up to its words by putting everything in place for the electronic transmission of election results from the polling centers to INEC central database.

The UPP Chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie stated this in Abuja while handing over the Certificate of Return to the party’s flag bearer Chief Osita Chidoka for the November 18th governorship election in Anambra State.

Okorie said that the involvement of EFCC has become necessary as aspirants in the last election lured voters with N5,000 at the public glare, adding that policemen who were monitoring the election could not arrest the money bags, responding that it was not part of their assignment at the polling stations but to ensure peaceful conduct of the election.

“I wish to recommend if only for the Anambra election, the EFCC should be part of the monitoring team. In 2013, we saw people carrying sacks of money close to polling stations, and they were paying N5,000 to every person who proved that he voted for a particular political party.

“When the attention of the police was drawn, the police who had obviously been compromised said that they were invited to maintain law and order. They were not invited to chase after those who were carrying money or giving bribe” he stated.

The party chairman further said that the party will accept the outcome of the election if INEC fulfills its own part by electronically transmitting the election result to the INEC central server to avoid result mutilation which was the order of the day in previous elections.

He said that INEC earlier demonstrated its capacity to carry out the electronic transmission before party leaders, civil societies and other stake holders, insisting that INEC must not succumb to pressure from those who prefer to get into the government house at all cost.