Yiaga Africa has faulted the results of the Edo State governorship election announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, saying it failed its integrity test. The civil society group said it concluded after it deployed the Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) methodology to observe the Edo State governorship election, utilizing 300 stationary
Yiaga Africa has faulted the results of the Edo State governorship election announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, saying it failed its integrity test.
The civil society group said it concluded after it deployed the Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) methodology to observe the Edo State governorship election, utilizing 300 stationary and 25 roving observers covering a representative sample of polling units across all 18 LGAs.
A statement released on Monday and signed by the Chairman of the 2024 Edo Election Mission, Dr. Aisha Abdullahi, and its Executive Director, Samson Itodo submitted that the 2024 Edo governorship election failed the electoral integrity test due to the lack of post-election statement on the transparency in the results collation process, which according to it, led to the manipulation of results.
It noted, “While key processes such as accreditation, voting, counting, and recording of results at the polling unit substantially complied with procedures, the results collation process was compromised by the actions of some biased INEC officials in connivance with other actors. “This manipulation severely undermines the overall integrity of the election.
YIAGA Africa said it concluded after it deployed the Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) methodology to observe the Edo State governorship election. The method involved 300 stationary and 25 roving observers covering a representative sample of polling units across all 18 LGAs.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the candidate of the Alliance Peoples Congress (APC), Monday Okpebholo winner polling 291,667 votes and defeating his main challengers, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party with 247,274 votes and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party who scored 22,763 votes.
The group said it recorded incidents of results manipulation and disruptions during the ward and local government collations in Ikpoba/Okha, Etsako West, Egor, and Oredo LGAs, including intimidation of INEC officials, observers, and party agents and the collation of results.
On the official results announced by INEC, Yiaga Africa said it recorded incidents of manipulation and disruptions during ward and local government collation in Ikpoba/Okha, Etsako West, Egor, and Oredo LGAs, including intimidation of INEC officials, observers, and party agents.
“The disparities between the official results released by INEC and Yiaga Africa’s PRVT estimates indicate manipulation of results during the collation process.
“Yiaga Africa strongly condemns the actions of some biased INEC officials who altered figures during collation, including the actions of some security officials who interfered with the collation process.
“Yiaga Africa noted that the cases of disruption in Ikpoba/Okha, Etsako West, Egor, and Oredo LGAs in the course of collation created opportunities for election manipulation, raising significant concerns about the credibility and integrity of the results collation process,”
On a positive note, YIAGA Africa reported that the BVAS machines functioned optimally, ensuring that despite the late opening of voting, all voters in the queue by 2:30 pm were allowed to vote. INEC had on the day of election granted the extension.
YIAGA Africa observed that the results collation process ran contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines, thereby severely undermining the credibility of the election.
Yiaga Africa noted that its findings also indicate inconsistencies with reports received from the sampled polling units which projected a “narrow margin” vote share for each party. “If the official results do not fall within Yiaga Africa’s estimated ranges, then the results may have been manipulated”.
