Yiaga: We observed cases of vote buying, thuggery in Edo election

Yiaga Africa, a civil society organisation, says its agents observed incidences of vote buying and polling unit disruption at the ongoing Edo state governorship election.

Edo residents trooped to the polls on Saturday to elect the state’s next governor.

There are 17 candidates in the race for the Edo governorship seat, comprising 16 men and one woman.

Among the leading candidates are Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP), Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said 2,629,025 voters registered to cast their ballot.

In an update released on Saturday, Yiaga Africa said it deployed 300 stationary and 25 roving agents to observe a representative sample of polling units across all 18 LGAs in Edo.

The CSO added that the observers were monitoring the results collation process at the LGA and state levels.

The organisation said the election began peacefully with minimal critical incidents, adding that logistics challenges caused delays in the commencement of accreditation and voting in several polling units.

It listed the logistics issues as rainfall, lack of vehicles to transport INEC officials or election materials, and the absence of security personnel.

Yiaga Africa said it observed an uneven distribution of security personnel, resulting in some densely populated polling units not properly secured.

The organisation added that it received reports of intimidation of INEC officials to bypass the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) in Akoko-Edo LGA.

The CSO cited a case of missing results sheets at polling unit 1 in ward 8 of Orhionmwon LGA.

It said suspected political thugs disrupted the voting process and chased voters from polling unit 5 in Uwessan ward 2, Esan central LGA.

“Voters halted the accreditation and voting process at the Army Children XI polling unit in Iwogban/Uteh Ward, Ikpoba/Okha LGA because INEC officials arrived without the official stamp,” the organisation said.

“At Ebua Market Square 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 said suspected political thugs also disrupted voting at Anyaran Araromi Primary School in Akoko Edo LGA, while there were reported incidents of vote buying in Ikpoba/Okha, Igueben, Esan West, Akoko Edo, Owan West, and Uhunmode LGAs.

It said APC and PDP party agents were seen bribing voters with N10,000 at the Idumoka Pri School polling unit, ward 1 in Igueben LGA.

The CSO said some APC and PDP party agents were also seen handing out cash gifts at Enikaro Primary School IX polling init in Ugbekun ward, Ikpoba/Okha LGA.

These infractions, Yiaga Africa said, predisposed the Edo state governorship election to voter suppression and manipulation.