…voters induced with humiliating amounts
…polls opened behind schedule
…. security agencies behaved themselves as PWDs record low turn-out
By Lubem Gena, Abuja
The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has issued a preliminary report on the just concluded off-cycle elections in some states in Nigeria including Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi in which the body draw far-reaching immediate conclusions.
The gubernatorial elections held on Saturday, November 11th 2023 under the eagle eye of the body whose preliminary report looks into the processes and procedure to measure the preparedness of the Election Management Body (EMB) and if lessons learnt from the previous election have been put into consideration.
As part of its mandate and contribution towards strengthening the democratic process, the TMG said it activated a 2023 Off-Cycle Election effort using an Election Situation Analysis Centre (ESAC) employing advanced information and communication technologies (ICTs) which was established to receive, process and analyse citizen observer reports from the affected states.
According to the TMG Chairman in Nigeria, Mr. Musa Auwal Musa (Rafsanjani) in a statement emailed to News Headquarters, the ESAC primary function was to ensure that accurate reports are received from all citizen observers and same is processed/analysed and shared with the Nigeria public, the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) and media organisations in near real time towards shaping the right perception of the off –cycle election conduct.
News Headquarters observes that the ESAC hosted election experts who worked closely with data clerks and citizen observers across the states led by the TMG Chairman to review field reports assessment of the off-cycle elections and the Election Day proceedings. The centre also played host to other observer missions and delegations.. The media and other stakeholders also paid visit to the ESAC to get a sense of the Election Day proceedings on the off-cycle election.
The ESAC also had the data clerk’s desk and social media desk who all functioned to receive reports, verify the reports and escalate it to the public throughout the Election Day. Throughout the Election Day, each observer reported via several text messages, dedicated WhatsApp platforms created for the affected states for their observation reports.
Part of its reports on topical, sensitive and non-sensitive areas reads as follows:
Opening of the Poll
Observers across the three states of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi reported a slow start to the opening of polls in the polling units observed. Averagely, most of the polling units observed opened between 8:30 and 9:00am. TMG observer reported that INEC Officials arrived Amaimo ward- Umukpe Umuri, polling unit 005 at exactly 9:30am.
Accreditation and Voting
Accreditation and voting commenced without hitches across the three states. Based on the feedback from the TMG observers, accreditation and voting simultaneously commenced around9.00am in most of the PU observed. For example, PUs 006, 007 of Odo-Ere, Oke –Ere/Akata Ward of Yafba West LGA of Kogi State as well as PU 021, Ward 003 Epie in Bayelsa State as well as PU 006, Ward 008 Owudugbo in Ogbia, Bayelsa State respectively all opened around 9am.
Deployment of Materials and Staff
TMG observers reported arrival of materials and INEC officials to be between 8:00am – 8:30am in most polling units observed. These include Ward 17, Unit 004, Betto Open Space, Kolokuma 1, Bayelsa State and Ward Polling Unit 004, Community Secondary School, Lokogoma Village, Kogi State as well as Polling Unit 004, Oweri Municipal, Imo State respectively.
BVAS Functionality
The Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) allows for the identification and accreditation of voters through finger prints and facial recognition. As such voters are expected to be processed and verified by BVAS at various polling units. TMG observers reported adequate deployment and functionality of BVAS across polling units in the three states of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi respectively. These were reported in PU 022, Ward 02, Owerri, PU 007, Ward 10 Tapere Egede Square, Ekeremor LGA of Bayelsa and PU 002, Ward 01 Bassa LGA of Kogi State respectively.
On the conducts of the security officials deployed for the election, TMG said its observers reported professional conduct of the security personnel at various polling units across the three states. Security personnel reportedly conducted themselves in a very civil and professional manner. The security personnel comprised of members of Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), EFCC, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) as well as Nigerian Immigration Service and Nigeria Correctional Service all deployed at the polling units. Also observed were military personnel who mount adjoining streets to polling units and boundaries.
As regards the PWDs compliance as contained in the Electoral Act 2022 which provides that INEC should provide assistive materials that will aid voting of PWDs across polling units in Nigeria, TMG reported low turnout of PWDs.
However, observers also reported availability of assistive materials such as magnifying lens for the visually impaired but most of the polling units lack ramp which should have allowed ease of movement of the physically challenged. PWDs and the elderly were given voting preferences at the polling units observed by TMG.
“TMG observers reported higher voter turnout in Kogi and Imo states respectively. Hundreds of voters were seeing on the queue in Ajaokuta, Adavi, Bassa, Yagba West LGAs. However, observers reported low turnout in Bayelsa state due to poor weather condition, difficult terrain and logistics issues as well as voter apathy in a number of polling units. TMG observers reported high turnout of voters in PUs 001, 002, 003, 005, Ganaja Junction of Ajaokuta LGA.
“Observers reported presence of major political party agents in most of the polling units observed across the three states. These party agents were mostly representatives of APC, PDP, Labour Party and SDP. Nevertheless, observers reported absence of party agents in places like.
“TMG observers reported pockets of violence in few of the polling units observed across the states. Political thugs were reportedly killed by the military in Ayingba and Idah town in Ida LGA of Kogi State.
“While sections 121 and 127 of the Electoral Act 2022 prohibit vote trading, TMG observers reported that several means were devised to induce voters by desperate politicians who were seen doling out cash gifts ranging from N5,000 to N30,000, food items and clothing materials (wrappers) in some of the polling units observed. These include PU 010, Ekinrin-Ade, Ijumu LGA, Imiringi, PU 002, Ward 008, Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa.
“In conclusion, TMG from these preliminary findings commends INEC, security agencies and the good people of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi for playing their parts towards the successful conduct of the elections so far”, TMG concluded.
