A GROUP of Civil Society organisations (CSOs) have expressed displeasure over the transparency of the results collation process for the Edo State governorship poll held on Saturday, September 21.
It called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to observe the guidelines provided in the Electoral Act.
This was contained in a joint statement issued by the group on Sunday, September 22.
The statement was signed by the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, Yiaga Africa, Kimpact Development Initiative, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, ElectHER, and TAF Africa.
“We, the undersigned accredited civil society organisations observing the 2024 Edo governorship elections, express concern over the transparency of the ongoing results collation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),” the group stated.
According to the group, reports of disruptions at ward and local government collation centres, including intimidation of INEC officials and attempts to collate results contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines, raise significant concerns about the credibility of the results collation process.
“We acknowledge INEC’s recent statement recognising reports of result mutilation and its commitment to investigate and address any proven violations.”
The CSOs urged INEC to invoke its powers under Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022 to review any declarations and returns where results were not declared voluntarily or violated provisions of the Electoral Act and its regulation and guidelines.
“We further call on security agencies to refrain from interference in the collation process and to ensure that accredited party agents, the media, and election observers are granted full access to the collation centres.
“We wish to emphasise that the role of security agencies in the election is to safeguard the process and not to create a situation that will undermine the transparency of the process and thus impact negatively on the credibility of the outcome of the election,” the group added.
The ICIR reported that the electoral umpire had admitted receiving complaints about the tempering of results sheets and had vowed to investigate the matter.
Earlier, Yiaga Africa, in a post on its X handle, raised concern over the disruptions in the results collation process for Oredo and Ikpoba/Okha, noting that observers and INEC officials were teargassed in Ikpoba/Okha local government.
“We want to emphasise that collating LGA results at the state headquarters violates the established procedure for results collation.
“We urge @inecnigeria to stand firm against intimidation and interference,” Yiaga Africa urged.
The Electoral law permits accredited observers, media, and party agents to monitor results collation at all levels, and failure to address the issues risks undermining the legitimacy of what has been a peaceful process since its commencement, it added.
Seventeen political parties competed for votes in the poll, with three candidates – PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, APC’s Monday Okpebholo, and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) – leading the race.