Vote trading: Forum task ICPC, EFCC others ahead of 2023 campaigns, elections’

The Seventh Technical Session of The Electoral Forum has called on banks and anti-corruption agencies such as ICPC and EFCC to be fully involved in monitoring campaigns even as they urged the media to beam its spotlight more on policy-based campaigns by candidates and parties ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The Forum noted at the just concluded meeting to deliberate on upcoming campaigns by political parties and candidates, added that there was need for issue-based campaigns.

In a statement signed by Chair of the Forum, Professor Adebayo Olukoshi, it expects political parties and candidates to target real issues confronting the country with facts and figures, and ensure that messages passed during campaigns are violence-free and impact positively on the audience.

They also noted that politicians have failed to heed the timetable for the commencement of campaigns which is the 28th of September 2022, as campaigns seem to be ongoing, especially on social media.

The Forum also underscored the importance of security in the electoral process. It emphasizes that peaceful and credible elections can only be possible through close collaboration between INEC and the Security Agencies in view of the preponderance of numerous challenges which include but are not limited to insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, etc.

Members of the Forum present at the meeting were: Professor Adele Jinadu, former NEC Federal Commissioner, Hajia Amina Zakari, former INEC National Commissioner and Acting Chairperson, Professor Antonia Taye Simbine, DG, NISER, and former INEC National Commissioner, Kassim Gaidam, former INEC REC Adamawa State, Gloria Ukpong, former Chairperson AKSIEC, Hannatu Biniyat Usman, former Chairperson KADSIECOM, Ademola E. Johnson, former INEC Deputy Secretary, Okechukwu Ndeche and Alhaji Lawal Isa Wase, former INEC Directors, Mike Asukwo of Business Day, and Everest Amaefule formerly of The Punch Newspapers as well as Professor Olatunde Babawale, Provost, Anti-corruption Academy, and LASIEC Commissioner.