EDO STATE: A Civil Society Organisation, Yiaga Africa, in a statement has said it’s agents monitoring the governorship election in Edo State observed incidences of vote buying and polling unit disruption during Saturday’s election in Edo State
The group said it deployed 300 stationary and 25 roving agents to observe a representative sample of polling units across all 18 LGAs in Edo.
The group said it noted that the observers were monitoring the results collation process at the Local Government Areas (LGA) and state levels.
Yiaga Africa observers reported incidents of vote buying in Ikpoba/Okha, Igueben, Esan West, Akoko Edo, Owan West and Uhunmode LGAs. APC and PDP party agents were seen bribing voters with cash (N10,000) at the Igueben – Idumoka Pri School polling unit (12-10-03-004) Ward 1 in Igueben LGA,” the statement read.
Party agents for APC and PDP were also seen handing out cash (N10,000) in Enikaro – Enikaro Primary School IX Polling Unit (12-11-07-009) in Ugbekun ward, Ikpoba/Okha LGA.
Voters stop the ongoing accreditation and voting process in the Ikpoba—Army Children XI polling unit (12-11-01-011) in Iwogban/Uteh Ward, Ikpoba/Okha LGA due to INEC officials arrival to the polling unit without the official stamp.
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YIAGA said it observed also an altercation between APC and PDP supporters over alleged bribery which led to the suspension of voting and the destruction of the voting cubicle at Ebua Market Square in Uhunwode LGA of the state.
Another place where voting was disrupted by Political thugs is Anyaran Araromi Primary School in Akoko Edo LGA.
The CSO stated that logistics challenges caused delays in the commencement of accreditation and voting in several polling units, adding that the election started peacefully with minimal critical incidents
It explained that there was an uneven distribution of security personnel, resulting in some densely populated polling units not properly secured, listing the logistics issues such as rainfall, lack of vehicles to transport INEC officials or election materials, and the absence of security personnel and the heavy rainfall.
