Ahead of the forthcoming general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that it will not hesitate to sanction any corps member found to have betrayed public trust by accepting gifts including food, from politicians, during the polls.
The warning was given by INEC’s electoral officer for the Jos South council area in Plateau state, Aisha Lawal, during a sensitisation training organised for some corps members in Jos on Wednesday, January 9, Punch reports.
We gathered that INEC also warned corps members not to struggle with thugs, so they don’t put their lives in danger.
Lawal stated: “On no account should any corps member eat any food provided by politicians on election day because if you eat their food and get poisoned or sleep off on duty to enable them to steal the card reader and other materials, you will be held responsible.”
She further disclosed that corps members on election duties would be posted to different local government areas of the state other than where they currently serve.
According to Bello, the measure was taken because of the limited number of polling units available in some council areas where there were increased numbers of corps members.
Meanwhile, we previously reported that the director-general of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Suleiman Kazaure, urged corps members ahead of the 2019 general elections, not to stop politicians from stealing materials.
Kazaure made this known at the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Darkingari, Kebbi state.
He said: “If politicians want to steal election materials from you, don’t drag issues with them. Help them carry it to their vehicle to avoid problems.”