CDD Expresses Concerns Over Failure Of Card Readers, Others

BY GLORIA USMAN, ABUJA – The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), has expressed concern over the failure of card readers malfunction in a number of polling units where voting proceeded without use of the machines across parts of the country.

Chairman, Election Analysis Centre (EAC) of the CDD, Prof. Adele Jinadu, who made the concern of the organisation known while announcing the group’s final election report, said that VIPs did not conduct themselves well in spite of the warning from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He said that smart card readers remained one of the most vital integrity checks of elections in Nigeria, adding that even though some failed, but generally most of them worked well.

Jinadu said; “Ballot papers were insufficient in some polling units, while in others there were lack of other sensitive and non-sensitive materials such as indelible ink, ballots, or result sheets.”

He also express dismay over the disruption of the electoral process by some notable political office holders, adding that there were high profile incidents of disruption of voting processes through the abuse of the power of incumbency in some states  such as Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos and Rivers, where huge supporters escorted politicians to the polling units.

According to him; “The elections provided further illustration of the anti-democratic political culture of the country’s mainstream political class, through their engagement in various forms of political brigandage and their do-or-die attitude to elections.

“If the ordinary citizens are the winners of these elections, the underlying zero-sum attitude and approach of the country’s mainstream political class leaves a great deal to be desired.”

He said other electoral malpractices reported by observers include harassment of voters by thugs, arrest of observers by security agents, snatching of ballot boxes, stuffing of ballot papers, violation of the secrecy of the ballot, and voters cast their ballot in full public view in some polling units, where polling booths were not cordoned off or cubicles provided to ensure secrecy of the vote.

Jinadu said the CDD deployed over 35,000 field observers across the country for the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly Elections and also set up an analysis centre to counter fake news, adding however that the conduct of the elections in most parts of the country went smoothly as ad-hoc staff arrived their work post on time.

He noted however that significant logistical challenges marred the conduct of the elections in most parts of the country.

Jinadu said adequate security personnel were generally deployed for duty in many polling units, but that there were instances of disruption such as in Lagos and Imo, where no security agent was either present or able to protect electoral officials and voters.

He said that on Election Day, Nigerians woke to the news that there had been bomb blast and the insecurity situation led to the relocation of voters from Gujba to Damaturu to cast their votes, and that similarly, voters in Madagali were also relocated to a safe location in Adamawa to cast their votes.

Jinadu said that the analysis centre also noted with dismay the violence that marred polls in some areas in Lagos, Ebonyi, Imo, Rivers, Osun, Oyo, Delta, Kogi and Akwa Ibom states.

He said that the CDD gathered that more than 20 people have so far been confirmed killed on election day while ballot box snatching, voting disruption severely dampened morale in Lagos and some of the states mentioned.