#EdoDecides2024: YIAGA reports vote buying at polling units

YIAGA Africa, a civil society organisation monitoring Saturday’s Edo State governorship election has reported vote buying in different polling units.

The organisation said it reported incidents of vote buying in Ikpoba/Okha, Igueben, Esan West, Akoko Edo, Owan West, and Uhunmodi local government areas.

It explained that agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were seen bribing voters with N10,000 cash at the Igueben – Idumoka Primary School polling unit (12-10-03-004), Ward 1 in Igueben Local Government Area (LGA).

“Party agents for All Progressive Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were also seen handing out cash gifts (N10,000) in Enikaro – Enikaro Primary School, IX Polling Unit (12-11-07-009) in Ugbekun ward, Ikpoba/Okha LGA,” Yiaga Africa said.

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

At Ebua Market Square in Uhunwode LGA, the organisation said an altercation between APC and PDP supporters over alleged bribery led to the suspension of voting and the destruction of the voting cubicle.

“Political thugs also disrupted voting at Anyaran Araromi Primary School in Akoko Edo LGA,” the group stated.

As of 1:40 p.m., the Yiaga Africa said, its data centre had received 16 verified critical incident reports primarily concerning the late opening of polls.

Yiaga Africa also said it received reports of four polling units that failed to open. This incident was reported in two polling units in Egor, 1 in Esan South East, and 1 in Etsako West.

Delayed commencement of voting

On the delayed commencement of voting due to BVAS malfunction, the group said the BVAS malfunctioned in Ayogwiri Town Hall, Ayogwiri Polling Unit of Uzairure South East ward in Etsako West LGA. As of 1 p.m., voting had not commenced in the polling unit.

On deployment of materials, Yiaga Africa said it observed and noted adequate deployment of election materials like register of voters, voting cubicle, official stamp, Ink pad, and indelible ink, in the opened polling units observed.

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Yiaga Africa also noted the deployment of assistive materials for persons with disability, with magnifying glasses deployed in only 27 per cent of the polling units, braille ballot guide in 38 per cent of polling units and people with disabilities (PWD) posters in 84 per cent of polling units.

Vote buying remains one of the threats to Nigeria’s election.

Seventeen candidates-16 men and one woman- are in the race to replace Governor Godwin Obaseki, whose tenure ends in November.