Ondo Election: CDD Task INEC, Police On Prosecution Of Electoral Offenders

By Philip Tayo

The Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Nigeria Police Force on the need to prosecute those arrested for electoral offences during the Saturday, November 16th, 2024 governorship election in Ondo State.

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The Non – Governmental Organization and one of the observer groups accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the Ondo State Governorship Election, revealed in its post election report made available to newsmen on Monday through a statement signed by both the Lead for CDD-EAC Observation Mission, Ondo 2024, Professor Victor Adetula and the Director, CDD-West Africa, Dr Dauda Garuba.

In the statement, the CDD-EAC called on the Police and INEC to ensure that all the suspects arrested are thoroughly investigated and held accountable before the law for all the electoral offences they committed.

The CDD-EAC urged “the security agencies not to spare all the non-state actors such as cult groups, political thugs and criminal syndicates involved in the disruptions of the electoral processes on the election day.

Adding, the CDD-EAC also “called on the Police and other security agencies to investigate the violent incidents earlier reported in the media, with particular references to Idanre local government area, where ballot boxes were reportedly snatched and gunshots fired. Also, to unravel those behind the isolated disruptions which occured in polling units at Ofosu and Omifunfun in Odigbo local government area of the State.

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The NGO also pointed out that “those behind the clashes between the APC and PDP supporters which led to chaos, with political thugs storming polling stations, forcing voters and INEC ad-hoc staff to flee for safety are investigated and brought to book.

Narrating further, CDD-EAC explained “that in Ofosu, thugs reportedly fired gunshots into the air, creating panic and keeping many residents indoors.

“We are particularly delighted that the voter suppression incident earlier reported at Akoko North West, Oke Agbe Ward 3, Unit 17, did not degenerate into violence. In St. Joseph’s CAC,
Okedo Idanre LGA PU 005 Ward, voting was also temporarily halted when voters suddenly dispersed. INEC officials started packing materials upon hearing that thugs were on their way to snatch ballot boxes and cause trouble. The situation was contained, and normalcy was restored after security officials and youths in the area confronted the advancing thugs, chasing them away”.

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The CDD-EAC also expressed concern on the prevalence of vote trading which occurred openly in some areas despite the presence of the officials from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) at polling units, specifically, operatives of the DSS who reportedly arrested a suspect with bags of money, apparently meant to buy votes.

The CDD-EAC also acknowledged the improvement in the deployment and use of technologies such as BVAS machines efficiency and IReV uploading. Our observers noted a 78.4% effectiveness of the use of BVAS.

The CDD in its post election report also revealed that its Countering Disinformation Room which monitored both online and offline spaces were able to track and fact-check fake news and misinformations.

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It however noted that numbers of false narratives, claims and counter claims reported in the Ondo governorship election were relatively low when compared to that of the Edo election.

According to the CDD report, it stated that for the period of campaigns and election day, only 16 claims were reported and fact-checked by it’s War Room, which lower to that of the 61 claims reported during the Edo governorship election, representing a total of 79% increase between the two elections.

“While 15 claims were assessed as either false or misleading, six were adjudged as false. The election management body and dominant party candidates were targets of false narratives in the pre-election period. On Election Day, the focus of peddlers of false narratives shifted to
false claims about violence and the circulation of fake results.

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“In a contest that was already
male-dominated, the CDD-EAC expressed concerns about statements such as the alleged removal
of the Resident Electoral Commissioner on the eve of the election”.

The CDD-EAC however advised the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the people of Ondo State and Nigerians at large to remain active participants in Country’s civic processes and be committed to developing the Country’s democracy.

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