Yiaga Africa, a civil society organisation, says its brokers noticed incidences of vote shopping for and polling unit disruption on the ongoing Edo state governorship election.
Edo residents trooped to the polls on Saturday to elect the state’s subsequent governor.
There are 17 candidates within the race for the Edo governorship seat, comprising 16 males and one girl.
Among the many main candidates are Olumide Akpata of the Labour Occasion (LP), Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Occasion (PDP), and Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) mentioned 2,629,025 voters registered to solid their poll.
In an replace launched on Saturday, Yiaga Africa mentioned it deployed 300 stationary and 25 roving brokers to watch a consultant pattern of polling items throughout all 18 LGAs in Edo.
The CSO added that the observers have been monitoring the outcomes collation course of on the LGA and state ranges.
The organisation mentioned the election started peacefully with minimal crucial incidents, including that logistics challenges brought about delays within the graduation of accreditation and voting in a number of polling items.
It listed the logistics points as rainfall, lack of automobiles to move INEC officers or election supplies, and the absence of safety personnel.
Yiaga Africa mentioned it noticed an uneven distribution of safety personnel, leading to some densely populated polling items not correctly secured.
The organisation added that it obtained studies of intimidation of INEC officers to bypass the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) in Akoko-Edo LGA.
The CSO cited a case of lacking outcomes sheets at polling unit 1 in ward 8 of Orhionmwon LGA.
It mentioned suspected political thugs disrupted the voting course of and chased voters from polling unit 5 in Uwessan ward 2, Esan central LGA.
“Voters halted the accreditation and voting course of on the Military Kids XI polling unit in Iwogban/Uteh Ward, Ikpoba/Okha LGA as a result of INEC officers arrived with out the official stamp,” the organisation mentioned.
“At Ebua Market Sq. in Uhunwode LGA, an altercation between APC and PDP supporters over alleged bribery led to the suspension of voting and the destruction of the voting cubicle.”
Yiaga Africa mentioned suspected political thugs additionally disrupted voting at Anyaran Araromi Main College in Akoko Edo LGA, whereas there have been reported incidents of vote shopping for in Ikpoba/Okha, Igueben, Esan West, Akoko Edo, Owan West, and Uhunmode LGAs.
It mentioned APC and PDP celebration brokers have been seen bribing voters with N10,000 on the Idumoka Pri College polling unit, ward 1 in Igueben LGA.
The CSO mentioned some APC and PDP celebration brokers have been additionally seen handing out money items at Enikaro Main College IX polling init in Ugbekun ward, Ikpoba/Okha LGA.
These infractions, Yiaga Africa mentioned, predisposed the Edo state governorship election to voter suppression and manipulation.
