The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) has dispatched its personnel to oversee the gubernatorial elections taking place in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states on Saturday.

This deployment was confirmed by Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, the spokesperson for the Commission, in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday.

The ICPC operatives have been strategically positioned across the 56 local government areas and 649 wards in the three states where the elections are scheduled to occur. Their main responsibilities include monitoring and preventing activities such as vote-buying and other forms of electoral malpractices at polling units throughout the election process.

Ogugua highlighted that this monitoring exercise was in response to an invitation extended by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for ICPC’s participation in ensuring free and fair electoral processes in these states.

Mr. Alex Chukwura, the Head of the Special Duties Division (SDD) at ICPC, urged the operatives to collaborate closely with other agencies during the exercise. Prior to their deployment, Chukwura stressed the importance of cooperation with the military, police, Department of State Security, other security agencies, and INEC to ensure the fairness of the elections.

He further emphasized that the officers should maintain discipline, uphold the spirit of integrity while in the field, work together as a team, and stay in close proximity to one another to achieve the desired objectives.

Chukwura urged voters in the three aforementioned states to fulfill their civic responsibilities on election day while avoiding any actions that could lead to electoral or other related offenses.