Observer faults integrity of Edo governorship election

- The integrity of Edo governorship election has been faulted by an observer

- According to the observer, issues of card readers, non-display of voters' register among others affected the poll

- Meanwhile, the observer said the election was fair and credible

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Following the conclusion of the Edo state governorship election, the Intercontinental Leadership Initiative, an observer who monitored the election, has faulted the integrity of the poll.

This was disclosed in a news conference by Stafford Bisong, the country head of the organisation on Monday, September 21.

According to him, the organisation had officials across the 18 local government areas of Edo during the election.

He listed issues which affected the election as follows:

1. None functional card readers used for the poll across the state.

2. None display of voters' register five days before the election as prescribed by the electoral act.

3. Late arrival of sensitive and none sensitive materials in about 80% of polling units.

"We discovered a lot of discrepancies on the field during election and we concluded that there is more to desire in our electoral voting procedure. Both sensitive and none sensitive materials arrived relatively late in 80 per cent of the polling units, prominent in Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha and Egor.

“We again discovered that the voters’ register was not updated, as a result, this made it impossible for many not to participate in the exercise.

“Some of these people may have relocated, some died while Covid-19 pandemic may have kept many away," he added.

However, he said in spite of the challenges, the election was fair and credible.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged that the card readers did not work in areas considered to be Governor Godwin Obaseki's stronghold in the governorship election in Edo state.

A statement issued on behalf of the party by Governor Obaseki's media aide, Crusoe Osagie, alleged that there was a coordinated attempt to disenfranchise voters who are his principal's loyalists in his strongholds

Edo governorship election was conducted in all the 18 local government areas in the state with voters trooping out to decide who will rule them for another four-year term.

Legit.ng also reported how the Eric Eniogboria-led team of electoral observers for the Edo election was arrested and detained by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force.

Eniogboria and his team members from the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) were arrested in the early morning of Saturday, September 19, by the police officers from the Irrua division.

According to Legit.ng correspondent who was at the scene of the incident, the CDD observers were apprehended while covering Esan Central local government area in Edo state.

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Source: Legit.ng