As more polling units in the restless Southern Ijaw are set to open, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room issued a statement regarding the general points of the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa state. The four findings included information from observers deployed across the eight local government areas. The preliminary conclusion has also been made.
1. Security
Although certain areas in the state had been previously identified as high risk areas, security agencies (particularly the police) did not deploy effectively to reflect this, making it difficult for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be provided adequate security to deploy personnel across the state. This resulted in the failure of the elections to hold in the entire Southern Ijaw local government area (LGA), as well as in polling units and wards in Nembe, Brass and Ogbia LGAs.
2. INEC
There was late deployment of personnel
and materials to various polling units across the entire state. In addition, there were several incidents of failure of the card reader machines to authenticate fingerprints of voters.
Collation centre in Yenagoa is still empty. No information on the time collation starts. Photo: @electmonitorng
3. Political parties
Political parties stoked the fires of violence in the state during this election leading to incidents of violent clashes between their supporters, occasioning deaths, injury and mayhem. The conduct of the politicians defied their open show of signing of a peace accord.
The observers also noticed incidents where political parties also brazenly dispensed cash to buy votes at polling units.
4. Electorate
Atmosphere of apathy fueled by the fear of violence and low civic education was observed. There were also reports of voters who turned up in polling units, actively receiving cash for votes. Situation Room also received isolated reports of under-aged persons with voters’ cards in PU 06/03/07/010 in Opokuma North ward of Opokuma local government area.
Conclusion
The group expressed concern about the lapses on the part of the INEC and the security agencies in the conduct of the election. The lack of synergy between two sides may have resulted in some of the challenges associated with the election, including late delivery of materials, security breaches and failure of election to hold in the identified local governments areas, wards and polling units.
Situation Room called on the INEC to evaluate the use of card reader technology in election with a view to improving on its efficiency and effectiveness. The group was also disappointed with political leaders in the state whose conduct, carriage and disposition encouraged aggressive behavior and violence on the part of their supporters.
Situation Room further asked for investigation of all the acts of violence and the arraignment and prosecution of all the people who have promoted or carried out violence in this election.
The group noted that voting would continue in areas where they failed to happen on December 5, 2015, such as the whole of Southern Ijaw LGA and certain units in Nembe, Ogbia and Brass LGAs.
Situation Room is a non-governmental organisation and coalition of civil society groups that engages the socio-political process in Nigeria by initiating action for the resolution of identified and publicized challenges.
No comments:
Post a Comment