….reforms needed in electoral process to inspire public confidence

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – AS off-circle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States conclude various challenges, an election observer, Yiaga Africa, Monday, tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to thoroughly investigate allegations of malpractices.

Yiaga Africa made the call to INEC based on manipulations perpetrated by politicians and INEC staff in some polling units during the elections.

According to the Chair, WTV Working Group, Yiaga Africa, Dr Hussain Abdu and Executive Director, Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, during a press conference held in Abuja on the process and verification of the elections, demanded all the reports of election offences, complicity and unprofessional conduct allegedly displayed by some police officers during the elections should be duly investigated and culprits properly punished.

They also disclosed their findings based on additional reports received from the WTV observers in Imo and Kogi States according to sampled polling units.

The finding indicated deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, across all the polling units observed in the Imo and Kogi polling units, in Imo State, the BVAS Worked throughout the day in 94 per cent of polling units. However, it malfunctioned and it was fixed in three per cent of polling units. It malfunctioned and was not fixed or replaced in two per cent of these polling units.

Similarly, in Kogi State, the BVAS worked throughout the day in 94.per cent of polling units. However, it malfunctioned and it was fixed in five per cent of polling units. It malfunctioned and was not fixed or replaced in one.per cent of these polling units.

Inclusion of women and persons with disabilities, which an average of two polling officials were deployed in both Imo and Kogi States while an average of two out of the four officials were women. 47 per cent and 28 per cent of presiding officials in Imo and Kogi, respectively, were women, and in 64 per cent and 70 per cent of polling units in Imo and Kogi where PWDs were present, they were allowed priority voting.

On counting, Yiaga Africa’s findings showed that at two per cent of the polling units in Imo and three per cent of polling units in Kogi, the counting of the ballot papers was not done in the same location as accreditation and voting.

In Imo State, party agents for APC were present during counting, they received the results sheets in 95 per cent of polling units. Party agents for LP and PDP were present during counting, they received the results sheets in 87 per cent of polling units.

In Kogi state, party agents for APC were present during counting, they signed and received the results sheets in 95 per cent of polling units. Party agents for PDP were present during counting, they signed and received the results sheets in 79 per cent of polling units and party agents for SDP were present during counting, they signed and received the results sheets in 80 per cent.

Meanwhile, according to Yiaga Africa on critical incident during the elections, its reports on Election Day, which Yiaga Africa verified 101 critical incidents witnessed by Watching The Vote citizen observers. 87 of these reports were received from Imo and 14 of the reports were received from Kogi. Some of these incidents relate to the polling units not opened as noted earlier, vote buying, non-use of the BVAS for accreditation amongst others.

Notably, there were more reports on the disruption of the process leading to the counting of results in a different location or suspension of the voting process especially in Imo West Senatorial District.

Vote buying was reported across eleven polling units in Imo, three polling units in Kogi. Voters displayed how they marked their ballots before dropping them in the ballot box.

They said there were incidents of Ballot Box Snatching; BVAS By-Pass; and Intimidation and Harassment of Voters.

However, Yiaga Africa pointed out that EC official results for the 2023 Kogi State governorship election are consistent with Yiaga Africa’s WTV estimate (specifically, it falls within Yiaga Africa’s WTV estimated range). Had the official results been changed at the ward, LGA, or State Collation Centres, the official results would not have fallen within the Yiaga Africa WTV estimated ranges.

However, the incidence of pre-filled results sheets before accreditation and voting in some wards in Ogori-Magongo, Okehi, Adavi, Okene and Ajaokuta, as reported by Yiaga Africa and other election observer groups, including the outcome of INEC’s investigation, undermines the results from the affected LGAs.

They said: “INEC should thoroughly investigate all the allegations of malpractices and misapplication of election laws and guidelines and remediate all the flaws, including prosecuting its staff for complicity.

“INEC should comprehensively audit the Imo governorship election results and make its findings public.

“Security agencies, especially the Police, should investigate and prosecute cases of complicity and unprofessional conduct of some police officers.

“The National Assembly should accelerate the electoral reform process, especially establishing the Electoral Offences Commission to promptly and diligently prosecute electoral offenders.

“INEC should review its policy to ensure that eligible voters across all polling units are given equal voting opportunities. The review should ensure that voters in polling units where elections are suspended or cancelled for electoral malpractice or logistical challenges are allowed to vote.”

Yiaga Africa also concluded by asserting that, “The elections in Kogi and Imo reaffirm the lack of commitment to democratic principles and credible elections on the part of electoral stakeholders.

“The zero-sum attitude to electoral politics undermines electoral integrity and citizens’ right to elect leaders. Yiaga Africa reiterates its earlier call that election administration requires fundamental reforms to inspire public confidence and enhance the legitimacy of election processes and outcomes.

“This includes fundamentally reforming the election management body, INEC, and the attitude of politicians to elections. Cases where electoral officials arrive at the polling units with pre-filled election results is unacceptable and highly condemnable.”