The Independent National Electoral Commission has denied responsibility over vote-buying allegations in the just concluded Edo State governorship election.
The commission stated that it should not be blamed for the irregularities, adding that it is a widespread issue linked to the actions of political parties and not the electoral body.
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, in an interview with PUNCH on Sunday, urged socio-political stakeholders to also play their part in eradicating corrupt practices during election period.
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He said: “Vote-buying and alleged result manipulation are all tied to unscrupulous attempts to gain an unmerited advantage in order to win an election.
“INEC can and should not be held responsible for vote-buying. We are doing our best to fulfill our expected roles. Other stakeholders should also play their part and stop undermining the electoral process.
READ MORE: Edo Guber: Politicians Bought Votes With Bread, N5,000 At Edo PUs — CSOs
“The commission has, over the years, fought ferociously to ensure the credibility of elections.
“We have consistently implemented various recommendations offered by our national and international observers, which are implementable through administrative means.
“I think the commission deserves some commendation for its efforts. It’s really tough managing the electoral system in this country. The onus is now on political actors and voters to play their expected roles and work with INEC to stop the menace of vote buying.”
