…reactivates observation structures nationwide

…set to deploy PVT methodology

By Gabriel Ewepu

A nonprofit making organisation, Yiaga Africa, Monday, declared readiness to 2023 election observation with activation of observation structures nationwide.

Yiaga Africa’s readiness ahead of the elections in 2023 was made known in a statement issued and made available to Vanguard, where the Director, Programme, Yiaga Africa, Cynthia Mbamalu, disclosed during a National the National Training of Trainers on the Parallel Vote Tabulation methodology and Pre-election Observation (PREO) held in Lagos, saying Yiaga Africa through its Watching The Vote (WTV) project has reactivated its National election observation structure consisting of 48 State Focal Persons, 42 Master Trainers and 774 Local Government Supervisors across Nigeria in preparation to provide a comprehensive oversight on the electoral process.

According to Mbamalu, the 2023 General elections is an opportunity to provide independent oversight on the electoral process to provide quality data to counter misinformation and to build our electoral democracy.

She said: “If people do not trust the system, the voter turnout will not increase in the 2023 elections. The WTV will play an important role in building citizens’ confidence in the process by providing accurate and timely information on the process.

She also explained that election observation remains that service, which provides Nigerians to improve the electoral process.

She acknowledged and commended role of citizen observers in the electoral process, whereby they have been saying observers who are in the vanguard of Nigeria’s electoral democracy.

Meanwhile, she (Mbamalu) hailed other observers and Civil Society Organizations for their active the role they played to ensure passage of the 2022 Electoral Act, and pointed progressive provisions in the Electoral Act that can rapidly boost the Nigerian electoral process.

“The only thing that will ensure the Electoral Act achieves its purpose is our ability to educate the citizens on how the law can improve the process and guarantee transparency.

“It all starts with the leadership we provide as citizen observers who are engaging in voter education in our respective communities and we must engage with utmost diligence, dedication and honesty.

“Also, it is our ability to provide oversight on the electoral process using existing laws and electoral guidelines and provide information on the functionality of election technology amongst other electoral processes”, she added.

However, she disclosed that the Parallel Vote Tabulation, PVT, methodology would be deployed during the 2023 general election, and would serve as Yiaga Africa’s
single source of truth to provide information on the electoral process and verify the accuracy of election results.

This, according to her, the PVT will serve as a conflict mitigation tool which will prevent or minimize post-election violence.

“Regardless of the nature of election, PVT will serve as a single source of truth”, she said.

She also maintained that Yiaga Africa’s obligation is for all Nigerians alone and not any political party or institution.