Guber poll signposted with voter suppression, electoral violence, vote buying, says Yiaga Africa
A civil society organization, Yiaga Africa, on Sunday said the Governorship and State Assembly elections were signposted with voter suppression, electoral violence, electoral impunity, vote buying and capture of the results management by political thugs.
This it said, was in Delta, Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Kano, and Taraba States.
Ezenwa Nwagwu, a board member of Yiaga Africa, said this at a news conference in Abuja on the Governorship and State Assembly elections, supported by the European Union through its Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN).
He said Yiaga Africa was saddened by the cases of attacks on voters, INEC officials, journalists, election observers and personnel of the EFCC by political thugs.
“Reports also indicate that at least eight fatalities were recorded within the last 24 hours.
“These election-related deaths are unacceptable and highly condemnable. It is important for security agencies to hold the political thugs and their sponsors accountable for these deaths and attacks.”
He said that Yiaga Africa condemned acts of voter suppression fuelled by ethnic profiling, political thuggery and desperation to secure electoral victory at all costs.
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He said that in flagrant abuse of the constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act, registered voters and fellow citizens were denied the right to vote in some states.
“On Professional Conduct, Yiaga Africa received reports that security personnel were unprofessional and partisan in 26 polling units observed.
“Yiaga Africa received reports that polling officials were unprofessional and partisan in 21 polling units observed.”
Mr Nwagwu said that throughout Saturday, March 18 Election Day, Yiaga Africa verified 216 critical incidents witnessed by WatchingTheVote citizen observers, a number higher than that witnessed in the Feb. 25 elections.
According to him, there were cases of violent disruption, ballot box snatching and destruction, results manipulation during collation, obstruction of election observation, intimidation and harassment at polling units.
Mr Nwagwu said Yiaga Africa received 44 reports of vote buying through cash inducement and distribution of food items.
He said, therefore, that Yiaga Africa called on the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) agents to ensure effective and adequate deployment of security personnel to the collation centres.
He added that Yiaga Africa called on political parties, their supporters and voters across the states to remain calm and peaceful as the results collation process is still ongoing.
Guber poll signposted with voter suppression, electoral violence, vote buying, says Yiaga Africa
