The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Friday, warned people without voter card to stay clear of voting points in Saturday’s House of Assembly by-election in Plateau.
Mr Osaretin Imahireyereobo, INEC’s Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Mabodi, Langtang.
He said that anyone found breaching the regulations of defying the warning would face the law.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bye-election will hold in Langtang South Constituency.
It is sequel to a vacancy in the constituency’s seat after a Federal High Court judgment which invalidated the April 14, 2015 victory of Vincent Bulus after it was proved that he is an ex-convict.
Bulus is a member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“We cannot afford to allow trouble makers to spoil the election for us considering its importance to the state and the nation.
“So, anybody, who does not have his or her voter card should not dare come near any of the voting points as security men are ever ready to arrest and prosecute such recalcitrant persons, ’’ Imahireyereobo said.
He appealed to politicians and electorate to play the game according to the rules and not to foment trouble that would pitch them against security agencies monitoring the election.
He warned against voting by proxy, saying that the law had no provision for it and should not be practiced or tried in anyway.
“We will detect such people and prosecute them in accordance with the law.
“Our card readers will definitely detect such and expose such offenders to security operatives to pick and deal with,’’ he said.
The INEC official also warned against under-age voting, saying it was a serious electoral offence.
The bye-election will be contested by All Progressives Congress (APC) Mega Progressives Peoples Party (MPPP) out of the three political parties that participated in the 2015 poll.
The PDP and its candidate have been disqualified from contesting in the bye-election. (NAN)