The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun said it has secured the conviction of nine persons arrested for vote buying in the state, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun, Dr Mutiu Agboke, disclosed this on Monday while answering questions on a radio programme in Osogbo.

Agboke said the commission was working tirelessly to ensure there is free, fair and credible election in the state when residents go to the polls for the state gubernatorial election later in the year.

He said that the commission, however, needed the support of stakeholders and the media to ensure the election is successful.

He urged participating political parties in the Osun election to abide by INEC rules and regulations, rather than disrupting the poll.

On the ongoing INEC Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), Agboke said that the commission has updated their machines to prevent double or multiple registrations.

He added that the commission would also arrest anyone discovered to have or attempt multiple registrations.

The INEC REC called for media cooperation to control misinformation, saying that facts and information should be verified from the commission before certain news is published.

He said that he has instructed that all media professionals in Osun are included in a WhatsApp group created by the state commission’s spokesperson, Mr Musa Olurode, to have access to their activities.

Agboke, however, said that he would take legal action against any journalist or media outfit that writes or reports any defamatory or untrue news against the commission without verification. (TRIBUNE)