CDD asks INEC, security agencies to ensure credible election in Ondo

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be impartial in the conduct of governorship election in Ondo state.

The organisation said the institutions involved in the electoral process must ensure that Saturday’s election is free, fair and credible.

Speaking at a pre-election conference in Akure, Ondo state capital on Friday, Oluseyi Awojulugbe, a fact checker, who represented Adele Jinadu, chairperson of CDD election analysis centre (EAC), said the organisation has deployed 90 trained observers to monitor the election.

Awojulugbe said CDD has also deployed 14 ‘soldiers of mouth’ to “monitor the ways that parties, politicians and even members of the public engage in disinformation”.

“As Nigerians in Ondo State go to the polls tomorrow, we urge all institutions connected to the electoral process, such as INEC and security agencies, to ensure that they are impartial and conduct a free, fair and credible process,” Awojulugbe said.

“To ensure disinformation, information manipulation, and all forms of computational propaganda do not undermine the participation of historically marginalised groups, CDD-EAC calls on fact-checking organisations to strengthen collaboration to achieve better results in countering disinformation.

“The CDD-EAC also calls on all institutions – INEC, Police, EFCC, ICPC – to remain impartial and to carry out their duties diligently and patriotically.

“These services, though often thankless, remain important. We applaud the many ad-hoc staff, NYSC corp members and organisation personnel who are taking time out of their schedules to ensure that the process is hitch-free.

“Finally, CDD-EAC calls on all citizens of Ondo State to head to the polls with a firm belief that democracy will triumph, just as it urges all political actors to eschew divisive and inciting tendencies capable of undermining peace before, during and after the election.”

‘POSSIBLE VOTER TURNOUT’

Speaking further, Awojulugbe said low voter turnout and increased voter apathy are the major issues that will shape the poll.

The organisation also highlighted eight factors that will influence the conduct of the election, which include identity, individuals, incumbency, intra-party relations, institutions, insecurity, information disorder and impassivity.

“As the election takes place tomorrow, CDD’s EAC notes some of the major issues that will shape the election and shares its worry that a possible outcome is low voter turnout and increased voter apathy,” the organisation said.

“We hope that INEC’s voter sensitisation efforts, the different campaigns and the increased focus on the state will encourage citizens to come out and vote.

“We praise INEC’s conformity to its pre-determined schedule of events, and the release of necessary data and information prior to the election.

“Activities like this invite trust and optimism in the process. We call on INEC to ensure that this practice is maintained during the election and post-election phases.

“The absence of proper communication leaves room for unfettered misinformation, which has the capacity to cause untold disruption and mar analyses of the polls.”