Ondo Poll: YIAGA to deploy PRVT, 324 observers

Yiaga Africa, an election monitoring group, on Tuesday, said it will be using an advanced election-day observation methodology called the Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) in Ondo State on election day.

It also said it would be deploying about 324 trained election observers across the 18 Local Government Areas of Ondo State to monitor the forthcoming governorship election.

The Programme Manager of Yiaga Africa, Paul James, who disclosed this during a workshop organised by the organisation for media practitioners and civil society organisations ahead of the poll, said the observers would send reports from their individual polling units to the data centre.

He said: “PRVT will also have 24 mobile (roving) observers present in all the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs).

“The PRVT is an election-day observation methodology that leverages statistics and technology to observe the voting process, counting, and tallying results.

“Citizen observers are deployed to randomly sampled polling units to collect data on the conduct of elections and official polling unit-level results.”

YIAGA said with the results assembled from the sampled polling units, a citizen observer group can release projected estimates and verify the accuracy of results declared by the election management body.

“Using this methodology, observer reports are sent via SMS to a central database which enables WTV to analyze and share timely findings on the conduct of the election in near real-time,” Mr James said.

Others speak

Also speaking, Asmau Meikudi, a Board member of Yiaga Africa, stated that the group carries out Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) to deter, detect and expose fraud.

She said the observers comprised stationary and roving teams, adding that 300 of them would be stationed at randomly selected samples of polling units across the 18 local government areas, while 25 others would move around.

She added that YIAGA provides information through its activities on the election process to increase the confidence of the citizenry in the election.

Mrs Meikudi said: “Yiaga Africa is a civil society organisation that works to promote human rights, democratic governance and civic participation.

“As part of the socialisation of the Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) methodology, Yiaga Africa is organising the roundtable to provide participants with an overview of the PRVT methodology and deepen the understanding of the PRVT methodology as a tool for promoting electoral integrity.

“Yiaga considers the CSOs and Media as strategic partners and had organised similar roundtables for experience sharing during the 2020 elections.

“Yiaga has already engaged critical stakeholders for the smooth conduct of the Ondo 2024 gubernatorial elections.

“We were with the REC, Ondo State, The CP Ondo State, the State Commander NCDC, IPAC. Today, we are engaging with CSOs, the media and later in the day with NOA and NURTW. Our objective is to ensure a free, fair, credible, inclusive and acceptable Ondo gubernatorial election come November 16th 2024.”

It will be recalled that the methodology was deployed in the recently concluded governorship election in Edo State.

YIAGA’s report arising from the process had painted a sorry picture of the election, but was, however, rejected by the leadership of the victorious All Progressives Congress.