The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified the ban of mobile phones and camera devices in the governorship election in Osun state on Saturday 22nd 2018.
On Monday September 17th, the Chairman of the electoral body, Yakubu Mahmood, announced that phones and camera devices would not be allowed within certain areas during the election.
Many Nigerians had thought the commission had completely banned electorates from coming with their phones and other devices. However, the commission has now stated that it was not banning the use of Smartphone around the polling unit areas, but the ban will only be enforced a prospective voter entered voting cubicle to cast his or her vote.
This clarification was done by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, in Abuja during an interview with NAN. Oyekanmi stated this while reacting to the statement issued by the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, condemning the decision of INEC to ban the use of smart phones at polling booths.
“In consultation with other stakeholders, the Commission came up with new measures to solve the problem, one of which is to disallow the use of smart phones and other electronic devices in the voting cubicles on election day. In other words, INEC is not banning phones around the polling unit area, but the ban takes effect from the moment a prospective voter collects his or her ballot paper and enters into voting cubicle to thumb print and thereafter drop the folded ballot paper into the ballot box. After that, the voter can have access to his or her phone.”
Oyekanmi appealed to Nigerians to disregard plots of some politicians to politicize a decision the commission took in the best interest of the election.
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