INEC bans mobile phones, photographic devices in voting cubicle

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned voters that will be participating in today's presidential and national assembly elections against using their mobile phones and any other photographic devices to take pictures of the party they cast their votes for.

The commission, therefore, urged voters to either do away with their devices or desist from operating them completely once in the voting cubicle.

This was disclosed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC Voter Education and Publicity Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye, during a news programme on Channels Television.

INEC warned that anyone caught using their mobile phones or any photographic devices in the voting cubicle will be jailed upon conviction.

According to the INEC official, “No one will be allowed to take his or her phone to the voting cubicle. It is prohibited.

“Officials of the ICPC, EFCC and security agencies will be on hand to monitor and ensure that the law in that respect is not violated.”

Pulse reports that this is one of the means the electoral umpire has devised to eliminate vote buying from the electoral process.

Perpetrators of this heinous crime usually instruct the voter to take the picture of their ballot paper to show as evidence of the party they have voted for in exchange for money or other items used for inducement.