One of the Civil Society Organisation accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the Ondo Governorship Election, Yiaga Africa, through its “Watching The Vote initiative”, has provided a mid-day update on the 2024 Ondo Governorship Election, highlighting both commendable developments and critical concerns.
Addressing reporters at Dejavu Hotel, Alagbaka, Akure, Yiaga Africa’s Chair, Ezenwa Nwagwu, emphasized the organization’s deployment of the Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) methodology to ensure election integrity.
He said: “Yiaga Africa observers noted the early arrival of NEC officials in the polling units observed. Our findings reveal that INEC officials arrived at 71% of the polling units by 7:30 a.m.
“By 9:30 am, accreditation and voting had commenced in 91% of polling units.”
Ezenwa also explained that a total of 300 stationary observers and 24 roving observers were deployed to monitor the voting process across 18 local government areas.
He reported that every polling unit visited had a Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) used to verify each voter before thumbprinting the ballot paper.
The Yiaga Chairman for Ondo Mission said: “Yiaga Africa observed that every polling unit observed had a BVAS deployed. Additionally, Yiaga Africa noted that 6% of the polling units had two or more BVAS devices deployed. However, in 2% of polling units, the BVAS accreditation count was not shown to voters to confirm that it was set to zero before the start of accreditation and voting.”
However, Yiaga declared that widespread vote buying marred the process. The CSO reported that agents of major political parties, including the APC and PDP, offered cash incentives ranging from ₦5,000 to ₦20,000 in several polling units. While the DSS apprehended a suspect at St. Stephen Polling Unit in Akure, security personnel often failed to intervene in other incidents.
“All Progressives Congress (APC) party agents were sighted at all observed polling units, Labour Party (LP) agents were seen at 10% of polling units, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) agents were in 99% of polling units and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) agents were in 6% of polling units” Nwagwu announced at the press briefing held in Akure, Saturday afternoon.
Yiaga Africa also noted isolated disruptions, including the malfunctioning of BVAS machines at some units, leading to voter frustration. At the Leo Hospital polling unit in Akure South, security operatives had to restore order after voters disrupted proceedings.
His words “As of 2:00 pm, the Yiaga Africa WTV Data Center has received the following critical incidents: Obstruction of election observation: The presiding officer and security personnel denied access to a Yiaga Africa observer deployed to the Igbelowowa Methodist Primary School polling unit in Idanre LGA.
“They claimed they had not been informed that observers should be allowed to observe the process.
“Two, disruption of voting: Some frustrated voters disrupted voting at the Leo Hospital polling unit in the Owode/Imuagun ward of Akure South LGA due to the malfunctioning of the BVAS. Security operatives quickly arrived to calm the situation.
“Three, vote-buying at polling units: The APC party agent stationed at the Odulufe, Omoke, Odosika, Ogubgobe polling unit in the Ileooluji II ward of Ileoluji LGA was observed offering cash inducements of N20,000 to voters in exchange for their vote for the party.
“Unfortunately, security agents did not intervene to stop this action. Voters at the Ogun/Saruku Area polling unit in Ilara II ward, Ifedore LGA, revealed how they marked their ballot papers to agents of the AI’C party in exchange for cash gifts. The security personnel present did not respond to this situation. PDP and APC agents were observed bribing voters with cash incentives ranging from N5000 to N10,000 at the EIegirifEdiro Compound polling unit in Ilara I ward, Ifedore LGA.”
The organization called on INEC and security agencies to ensure adherence to electoral guidelines, prosecute vote-buying offenders, and uphold transparency in result collation.
With voting ongoing, Yiaga Africa urged citizens to remain peaceful and exercise their rights, promising further updates on the election process.
