Osogbo — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that any staff member or official caught signing over-voting result sheet during election will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The commission said signing of over voting results is a criminal offence and every staff member of INEC is aware of the law and the rules of engagement and as such there no ignorance of the law .
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun State, Dr Mutiu Agboke, made this known during a courtesy visit to the Correspondent chapel of Nigeria Union of journalists, Osun State.
Agboke, who said the only panacea for violence- free, fair and credible election in Nigeria was for Nigerians, especially the eligible voters to change their negative perception about INEC and shun violence and vote buying.
Agboke, who said there was the need to address violence before any election, blamed politicians for violence that happens during elections.
He said: "We must address violence and vote buying. The questions we must ask ourselves are who are those involved in vote buying. Who are those creating violence during elections. This is why we are leveraging on various stakeholders like NUJ to fight against this menace.
"We must all be involved in stopping these ugly trends in our election .We are already engaging on various stakeholders .This rapport we are having will go a long way to assist the INEC to deliver a credible election.
The INEC boss, who vowed never to be part of any form of irregularities before, during and after election, hinted that any INEC staff member, who signs result sheet that have over-voting, if caught will be persecuted.
Welcoming the State INEC REC chairman and his entourage , the chairman of correspondent chapel, Comrade Sina Abubakar, assured him that journalists in the state have been upholding the principle of objectivity in their reportage .
He told him to always avail journalists necessary information needed for them to file objective reports, saying effective partnership is panacea for violence free election.
