Edo Guber Polls: CSOs Declares Collation Process Not Transparent

• Warn security agencies  against intimidation, lack of transparency

BY ONYEKACHUKWU IBEZIM – As residents of Edo State await the results of Saturday’s governorship election, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that monitored the process have raised concern over the transparency of the results collation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

As the process continued in Benin, the State capital on Sunday, a joint statement by six civil society groups urged the security agencies to allow the media and observers full access to collation centres for transparency.

The statement was jointly signed by the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, Yiaga Africa, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, ElectHER,  Kimpact Development Initiative, and TAF Africa.

The statement read thus; “We, the undersigned accredited civil society organizations, express concern over the transparency of the ongoing results collation for the 2024 Edo governorship election by INEC.

“Reports of disruptions at collation centres, including intimidation of INEC officials and attempts to collate results against electoral provisions, have raised credibility concerns about the process.

“INEC’s statement acknowledging reports of result mutilation and its commitment to investigate any proven violations is a step in the right direction but needs prompt action.

“We urge INEC to invoke Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022 to review declarations where results were not voluntarily declared or violated electoral provisions.

“Security agencies must ensure non-interference in the collation process, allowing party agents, the media, and observers full access to maintain transparency and uphold electoral integrity.

“We emphasise the role of security agencies in safeguarding the election process, rather than undermining it, to preserve the credibility of the election outcome”. – With NAN report