The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has urged all parties involved in the Ondo State gubernatorial election scheduled for Saturday October 10th, 2020 to be fair in all their dealings, especially the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).Â
The non-governmental body stated this in a press conference held on Friday at the Sunview Hotel, Alagbaka in Akure ahead of Saturday’s Governorship Election where the Chairperson for TMG, Dr. Mrs. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi revealed that the body is a network of over 200 active Civic Organizations of the foremost Independent Observation Group in the Country.
TMG observed that since INEC had enough time to prepare and with its recent conduct of the Edo gubernatorial elections adjudged largely as free and fair, INEC has no excuse not to raise the bar higher and better than that of Edo State.
“It is therefore expedient that INEC should effectively deploy the Z-pad technology as promised to upload results real-time from all the 3,009 polling units, the 203 wards and 18 local government areas of Ondo State to build confidence in the election and further ensure transparency and accountability in Ondo Elections”, TMG boss noted.
She added that “TMG in collaboration with NAPEN will also deploy a total of 180 trained accredited non-partisan observers for the Ondo polls, in accordance with the declaration of global principles for Non-partisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organization, as well as the provisions of the 2010 Electoral Act as amended and the INEC guidelines”.
The body, however, noted that “despite INEC’s assurance that it is ready and capable to conduct a free, fair and credible governorship elections in Ondo State on Saturday, it well-known that a cross section of the public and potential voters are still doubting and holding INEC with apprehension and suspicion to truly walk its talk and fulfill its promises”.
The TMG credited and adduced the people’s anxiety to the past disappointing experience of the late arrival of INEC officials and materials especially in the river-rein areas, non-functional card readers, missing names on the voter’s registers, mixed-up of polling units among other problems which usually led to the disfranchisement of many voters in the past in the State.
“TMG’s observers in local government areas at the end of the meeting held today, October 8, 2020 projected and identified eight hotspots areas, which include: Akoko Southeast, Ilaje, Oke-Igbo/Ile Oluji, Akoko Southwest, Owo, Idanre, Akure South and Ese Odo local government areas”.
The body also condemned the practice of some Governors from other States that have ‘invaded’ Ondo State and refused to leave after campaign has ended, saying “these Governors who travelled and sponsored their political expedition with the meager resources of their States may constitute threat to free and fair election by taking advantage of their immunity to be involved in election malpractice like vote buying, intimidation of security operatives and sponsorship of political violence. All invading governors should leave since the campaign has ended”.
TMG, however, appealed to political parties and candidates to translate their agreement to observe peace by consenting to the peace accord they signed through the maintenance of peace and order and observe all the rules governing elections during and after the polls. Election should not be a do or die affair if the purpose is to serve and not to loot the treasury”.
Packaged By Emmanuel Adeniran
