…Major downsides was buying of votes between N3000-N10,000 by major political parties
By Dele Ogbodo
The Director, IRIAD-The Electoral Hub: an interdisciplinary knowledge, policy and advocacy Centre in its post-mortem analysis as an independent observer of the just concluded governorship election in Ondo State, won by APC’s Mr. lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said the election represents a significant step forward in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
This is coming even as the Hub commended INEC for its diligent efforts in organising this election, which is one of the best regarding integrity and service delivery.
Recap…that condemnation, concerns and outcries have greeted other recent elections held and conducted by INEC in different states and places across the country.
The Director, Princess Hamman-obels, however faulted some aspects of the conducted by INEC, said the entire process showcases the potential for free, fair, and credible elections when all stakeholders work together towards a common goal of protecting electoral sanctity, accountability, and integrity.
Hamman-Obels, while reinforcing the aim of her Centre, said it is to strengthen electoral governance and accountability across the country through evidence-based interventions to improve the quality, credibility and integrity of the electoral process and governance.
In the findings of Electoral Hub, whose staff monitored the state-wide election, said the success of the Ondo State election serves as a positive example for future elections in Nigeria and reinforces the importance of continuous improvement in our electoral processes.
“As we progress, building on this success and addressing any challenges that may have arisen during the election is crucial. Constant assessment and improvement of our electoral process and governance will ensure that future elections maintain and exceed the standards set in Ondo State.
“The Electoral Hub remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting electoral knowledge, accountability, and integrity. We believe that continuous dialogue and multilogues among stakeholders are essential for fostering a fair, accountable, and transparent electoral environment conducive to democratic participation.
“Therefore, we call on all stakeholders, including the EMB, political parties, civil society, and the public, to uphold electoral laws, ensure electoral accountability, and safeguard electoral sanctity and integrity.” The Director, said.
Beyond elections, she urged stakeholders to continue working together towards building a more robust democratic system, adding that the system should uphold the rights of every citizen while promoting effective governance across our nation.
Therefore and arising from the conduct of that election, Electoral Hub congratulates the people of Ondo State on the successful conduct of the governorship election which held on November 16.
She added: “We observed the election as an accredited observer and an organisation committed to promoting electoral knowledge, accountability, and integrity.
“As noted by the Electoral Hub’s Electoral Technical Note for the Election, electoral accountability and integrity matters! This informs our approach to electoral analysis which is through an electoral accountability framework that recognizes that “elections are multifaceted, complex, and encompassing both socio-political and administrative dimensions” and that “complex variety of social, economic and political variables affect the process, integrity, and outcome of democratic elections”.
“Meaning that the responsibility for ensuring the credibility and integrity of elections is not on the EMB alone but extends to various key stakeholders and institutions of the electoral process and governance.
“Our analysis also considers both the good and bad parts of electoral processes because electoral processes will neither be all good nor all bad.” Hamman-Obels, said.
Electoral Hub, according to her commend INEC for its diligent efforts in organising this election, which is one of the best regarding integrity and service delivery, adding that the professionalism displayed throughout the electoral process reflects a commitment to upholding democratic values and ensuring that the voices of the citizens are heard.
“In particular, we would like to highlight the exemplary leadership of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola.
“Her adept management of the electoral process has ensured a smooth operation and exemplified the powerful impact of women in leadership roles in governance and electoral management.
“Babalola’s performance has demonstrated what we proudly call “Black Woman Magic,” showcasing how women can lead effectively in high-stakes environments, breaking barriers and setting new standards for future elections.
“The Ondo governorship election was characterized by several notable improvements compared to previous elections which all contributed to the integrity of the election. One such improvement is the speed of the entire electoral period process.
“Notably, the election which started at 8.30am on November 16, 2024 ended at about 3pm on November 17, 2024 with the final collation, announcement of results, and declaration of a winner by Prof. Olayemi Durotimi Akinwumi, the State Collation and Returning Officer.
“Others include: Compliance with Election Timetable and Schedule: The Commission executed all activities as outlined in its timetable and schedule for the election seamlessly and timely, complying with the legal frameworks for election. This level of compliance demonstrates INEC’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.
“Registration Area Centres (RACs): As part of our pre-election observation process, we assessed the RACs’ readiness for election. This is because we recognize that the readiness of RACs before election day has a major impact on poll schedule from opening to closing and results management process.”
She said her observation showed that RACs were 100% activated and operational with electoral materials and personnel on ground with more than 75% activated before 7pm on Friday November 15, 2024 from the RACs visited. This high preparedness rate across most visited centers indicates a generally high level of electoral readiness.
“Electoral Logistics: In observing the electoral process, we found good improvement in electoral logistics. Notably, on election day, majority of polling units opened promptly at 8:30 AM. This demonstrates INEC’s commitment to improvements and maintaining the integrity of the electoral process. It also shows better performance compared to previous elections from State transport providers such as the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN).” Hamman-Obels, said.
She went further to itemize the brighter and darker side of the entire process”
Electoral Inclusivity:
We observed the participation of the aged, youth and women, including special groups such as pregnant women and those with infants. They were also prioritized in accordance with provisions of INEC guidelines and regulations. Also, in compliance with Section 54 of the Electoral Act 2022 which provides for appropriate treatment for voters with disability (VWD) such as providing braille and magnifying glasses at PUs.
¾ Ad-hoc Staff Performance:
We observed a high level of good conduct by ad-hoc staff in the election (e.g. presiding officers -NYSC and LGA collation officers -Lecturers), as they were able to carry out duties expected of them in accordance with the rules and regulations for the conduct of the election and in good time.
This testifies to the training and retraining that INEC informed stakeholders was done.
¾ Performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS):
The BVAS performed very well both for accreditation and result upload. The effective use of BVAS played a crucial role in enhancing electoral service delivery of INEC, such as quick and smooth voter accreditation, reducing incidents of impersonation and enhancing transparency.
The BVAS performance was also excellent during result management process, as over 90% of the PU results EC8A were already uploaded on the IReV by 6.30pm on election day.
This is one of the quickest records so far since the introduction of the BVAS technology. BVAS contributed significantly to the credibility and integrity of the voting and result access process.
¾ Election Results Management:
Addresses both result uploads to INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) at PUs and movement of the results along the collation centres/level.
IReV:
The prompt uploading of PU results (the EC8As) to the IReV allowed for real-time monitoring of election outcomes, fostering transparency and trust in voters and citizens. As of 6pm on election day, over 80% the PU election result had been uploaded to the IReV portal. At the end of the process on November 17, 2024, a total of 3,907 out of 3,933 PU results have been uploaded to the portal representing 99.34% of the PU results.
b. Efficient collation process:
We observed at the State Collation Centre that by 11.40pm of election day, 10 out of the 18 LGAs had brought their results and by 2am, additional 5 LGAs brought results. State collation started at 12midnight. The remaining 3LGAs –Odigbo (340 PUs), Ilaje (292 PUs) and Ese Odo (143 PUs) – came on Sunday morning due to their distance and terrain (riverine LGAs).
¾ Security Arrangements:
Security personnel were present in polling units observed. For instance, PU 005, Ward 05, Akure North LGA, PU 007, Ward 04, Akoko North West LGA, PU 006, Ward 04, Akoko North West LGA, and PU 011, Ward 04, Akoko North West LGA, had adequate security present for the conduct of the election.
Security agents were also very heavily present in LGA and State Collation Centres. For instance, in Ifedore and Akure LGAs Centres we recorded over twenty (20) uniform security personnel. This number was doubled at the State Collation Centre where the final results collation, announcement, and declaration were held.
Peaceful Environment: The election was generally peaceful. We commend the efforts of stakeholders such as the security agencies, and election officials to maintain order, accountability, and transparency during the process. In particular, the citizens of Ondo State must be commended for a peaceful electoral environment. They were the real MVP of the election as they have once again proven that democracy thrives when individuals are civil, and committed to upholding electoral integrity. Voters demonstrated commitment to peaceful election by maintaining law and order. The peaceful conduct of Ondo State citizens serves as a good practice for future elections.
The downside of the Election includes:
¾ Electoral Violence: There were incidents of violence, ballot snatching and shooting in Idanre LGA during the poll. Shooting at RA 06, Unit 1, RA 07, Units 3, 7 and 10; Thugs snatched ballot box at RA 02, Unit 9.
¾ Voter Turnout:
There was poor voter turnout for the election. The total vote cast for the election was 508,963. The total register of voters was 2,053,061 while total PVC collected was 1,757,205. Voter turnout based on register of voters is 24.7% approximately 25%, while based on PVC collection is 28.96% approximately 29%. This low turnout is possibly because of the general disenchantment of citizens not experiencing expected ‘dividend of democracy’. Citizens apathy to governance is generally on the rise due to challenging socioeconomic realities.
¾ Vote Trading: one of the major downsides of the election is the massive vote trading by party agents and voters. During the polls, the major political parties bought votes between N3000 – N10,000.