The YIAGA Africa has hailed the peaceful conduct of the Edo State gubernatorial Election held on Saturday, September 19th, 2020 across the 18 local government areas of the State.
Addressing a press conference recently in Benin City, after the Edo State Governorship Election results were collated, announced and a winner declared by the INEC Returning Officer, Professor Akpofure Rim-Ruke, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State; the two Co-Chairs for YIAGA Africa, Mrs. Cynthia Mbamalu and Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu commended and hailed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Security Agents for ensuring the conduct of a free, fair and credible election devoid of malpractices.
According to the Co-Chairs, “the YIAGA Africa, Watching The Vote employed the PVT methodology and deployed 500 stationery observers in pairs to a representative statistical sample of 250 polling units, and 25 mobile observers located in all the 18 local government areas in Edo State. In addition, YIAGA Africa also deployed 19 collation centres observers to each of the 18 LGA collation centres and the State Collation Centre”.
YIAGA Africa used the opportunity to commend and congratulate the people of Edo State for maintaining peace through the voting and counting and result collation processes across the state.
YIAGA Africa observed intimidation and harassment of observers, voters and polling officials by party thugs, which led to the violent disruption of the voting process in some polling units and likely disenfranchisement of voters in the affected locations. It condemned the shooting incident that occurred in Etsako Central LGA which led to the death of a citizen.
In addition, “YIAGA Africa observed the state wide disregard of COVID-19 protocols at polling units. It, however, noted that the Edo Governorship Election was an improvement on the 2019 Kogi and Bayelsa Governorship versions”.
YIAGA Africa also noted that the Election experienced slow commencement of polls. YIAGA stated that INEC improved in its processes for the deployment and use of the smart card readers, posting of election results at the polling units, and upload of polling units’ results sheets on the INEC result viewing portal using Z-pad electronic tablets as a welcome development.
YIAGA Africa said it received 23 critical reports which indicated violence, disruption of the electoral process, snatching of election materials among others.
It called on the winning candidate to be magnanimous in victory and embrace others who lost at the election.
Packaged By Emmanuel Adeniran
