CSO Optimistic Of Peaceful, Fair, Credible Poll In Ondo

By Philip Tayo

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room of Nigeria has assured the people of Ondo state and Nigerians that the gubernatorial election slated for tomorrow in the State will be free, peaceful, fair and credible.

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The CSO endorsed report is raising this hope based on the reports it garnered from various parts of the State and dissected in its situation room in Akure.

According to the organization, “The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has been observing the process of the 2024 Ondo State Governorship election scheduled for Saturday, 16th November 2024.

“The Situation Room and its partner organisations have deployed 1000 trained and accredited observers and will crowd source voters’ observation of the election using technology. This is aimed at ensuring that the election is conducted in conformity with the 2022 Electoral Act and INEC guidelines and that the process guarantees a fair, inclusive and credible outcome”.

The CSO explained that its interactions with the electoral management body and other stakeholders such as political parties, security agencies and civic groups from Ondo State as well as a governorship debate that provided an opportunity for candidates to answer questions regarding their manifesto, enabling voters to assess the candidates based on communal issues,will impact positively on the outcome of the election.

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They enjoined the stakeholders to intensify voter education efforts to avert voter apathy and ensure that citizens understand the importance of their participation in this election.

The body commended the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for what it described as pivotal role that would usher in a credible election.

They equally believed that the assurances by the Resident Electoral Commissioner regarding INEC’s preparedness and the promise to learn from the lessons in Edo election will not be compromised.

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It advocated timely opening of Polling units and election logistics as any delay can disenfranchise voters and undermine the credibility of the process, adding that inefficient
inefficient logistics, such as election officials arriving late or being misdirected, have hampered previous elections.

“The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is expected to function optimally based on the report from Mock test. INEC must ensure that the trained personnel are readily available to handle technical issues swiftly, ensuring that voters are not disenfranchised due to faulty equipment”.

The Situation Room encourages INEC to ensure that people with disability and other vulnerable persons like pregnant women and the aged are accorded priority attention at polling units and ensure assistive materials are effectively utilized.

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“INEC must ensure that the collation process is transparent and venues are made accessible to observers and fully lit to avoid the incidents that happened in the Edo election where collation of results in some wards were done in darkness or relocated to the local government centres”.

They appreciated the assurances of the Nigeria Police Force, as the lead election security agency, in providing adequate security for the election.

“Based on our preliminary observations, we call on the Security agencies to take the following into consideration;

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“Visibility without Intimidation: While a high level of security deployment is essential to deter breach of electoral peace, the presence of security forces must not be seen as intimidating to voters. Excessive displays of force can contribute to an atmosphere of fear and suppress voter turnout”.

The body observed that In past elections security deployment has been uneven, with more officers concentrated in urban areas hence, the police and other security agencies should maintain impartiality throughout the electoral process.

“Security lapses in previous elections, despite promises of improved professionalism, have undermined public trust. We urge the police to ensure their officers uphold the law without bias, and that electoral activities proceed without any interference from the security agencies”.

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