GUBER POLLS: EFCC PERSONNEL INVADE STATES TO OBSERVE ELECTIONS

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has deployed officers across the states where the elections would take place in advance of the gubernatorial and state assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, March 18, 2023.

In a statement on Friday, the anti-graft organization stated this.

The EFCC reported that teams led by senior officers started showing up at their designated places earlier today, with some of them consulting with representatives from the Independent National Election Commission and other security agencies involved in election security (INEC).

The Ebonyi State team traveled to Abakaliki and met with the Commissioner of Police at the State Headquarters to record their presence before traveling to the State INEC Headquarters for a quick meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC.

“Officers from the Kaduna Zonal Command met with J.A. Ogundele, the state’s commissioner of police, to record their presence in the state while on an election monitoring mission to Niger state under the direction of ACEII Mustafa Abubakar. They also paid a visit to Ahmed Yusha’u Garki, the resident electoral commissioner for the state of Niger.

According to the statement, “Officers of the Abuja Zonal Command on election monitoring duty in Nasarawa State, led by ACE II Adeniyi Adebayo, also registered their presence at the Nigeria Police Command Lafia, and had a brief discussion with the Commissioner of Police.

Teams’ mandate, according to the commission, is to prevent vote-trading and other financial misconduct that can jeopardize the integrity of the elections.

Before to the February 25 presidential and national assembly elections, the Executive Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, sent a statement to the teams in which he urged them to carry out their responsibilities with the utmost professionalism and integrity.

“I expect you to act properly and uphold our basic principles of professionalism, integrity, and courage while you are on a national assignment. You have an obligation to make sure that there are no financial irregularities in this election, particularly voter instigation. Nigeria is the center of the world’s attention, so we must take the necessary steps to ensure that our elections are credible, free, and fair, he said.