ESTHER Uzoma, an Abuja-based Lawyer, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure secrecy of the ballot paper in order to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.

Uzoma made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

She urged INEC to ensure the secrecy of the ballot paper in the forthcoming Osun gubernatorial poll as well as in the 2019 general elections.

She said that the secrecy of the ballot paper would discourage vote buying by politicians.

“We have to curb this danger to strengthen our country’s democracy.’’

She decried vote buying, describing the practice as “the evil that has bedevilled elections”.

She, however, commended INEC for conveying election materials early to polling stations and ensuring the efficiency of card readers.

Uzoma was also an observer under the auspices of the Coalition of Civil Societies at the Ekiti Governorship Election.

“INEC’s innovation was strongly in place at the Ekiti Governorship Election on July 14; the movement of election materials were monitored electronically for security purposes.’’

According to her, the card readers worked efficiently in most places and in places where it didn’t work, there was prompt response to rectify the faults.

Uzoma said that she covered four local governments in the area and that there was no need for incident forms.

“We also discover that voters were separated for easy voting; there were separate queues for pregnant women and persons living with disabilities.”

She commended the security operatives for conducting themselves peacefully and ensuring that thugs and hoodlums did not hijack the electoral process.

Uzoma urged the replication of workable innovations in the forthcoming elections in the country. (NAN)

– Aug. 13, 2018 @ 18:15 GMT |