Elections: It’s Criminal To Use Phones At Polling Booths – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned voters against using their mobile phones at the polling booths during Saturday’s election.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ogun state, Niyi Ijalaye, gave the warning in Abeokuta, on Wednesday, while addressing journalists shortly after a meeting with heads of security agencies ahead of the Saturday’s election.

Ijalaye said voters would not be allowed to make calls or take pictures with their phones when they are casting their votes.

He said, “We have been strategising and re-strategising on way forward to ensure that elections in Ogun will be devoid of rancor or violence of any sort whatsoever. That is what we have been doing and we want to seize this opportunity to appeal to the good people of Ogun state, the gateway state to endeavor to just come out peacefully on Saturday and exercise their franchise, their civic responsibility to vote for people, candidates and parties of their choice.

“On no account will violence of any sort be tolerated in this state and that is what we have been discussing in the last two, three hours.

“Maybe I need to emphasize this also that on voting day, when people come to the polling booths with their phones, when they approach the polling officer and they want to go in with their phones, they will not be allowed to use their phones to discuss with people or take pictures at that polling point where they will be voting. It is an offence, it is a crime and it will not be allowed.

“We appeal to those people who wish to come there with their phones to maybe switch it off for that one or two minutes, so that everybody would be seen to be acting within the law.”

The commissioner of police in the state, Frank Mba called on security personnel deployed for the election to maintain their political neutrality and provide a level playing ground for all the political parties.

(TNT)