YIAGA: We’ll expose any illegality during Bayelsa guber poll

YIAGA Africa, a civil society organisation, has vowed to expose any form of manipulation during the Bayelsa governorship election.

In a statement, the group said its observers will keep providing up-to-date information as events unfold during the poll.

YIAGA Africa urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure proper coordination with security agencies for the safety of personnel and materials.

“As one of Nigeria’s largest non-partisan and independent movements of citizens observers committed to promoting electoral integrity, YIAGA AFRICA’s WTV will be providing systematic, accurate and timely information on the election day process,” the group said.

“YIAGA AFRICA will be the only observer group that can independently determine if the official results announced reflects the total votes cast.

“If the announced results have been manipulated and do not match the results posted at polling units, then YIAGA AFRICA will expose it. YIAGA AFRICAs Watching the Vote is “Driven by Data – For All Nigerians – Beholden to None!

“The pre-election environment revealed amongst other things commercialization of the political process, violent campaign rhetoric and hate speech, excessive show of force by political parties especially the APC and the PDP and unhealthy electoral competition resulting to deaths, arson and violence.

“Bayelsa state has a history of electoral violence engineered by politicians who want to win elections at all costs in the state, especially with the battle for the control of the riverine areas. More reports on this were received from Southern Ijaw, Brass, Sagbama and Yenagoa.”