How Kaduna Governorship Poll Was Rigged – Election Observers

BY AMOS TAUNA, KADUNA – The March 9, 2019 Elections Domestic Observer Groups have declared that there were massive irregularities in the just concluded gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections in Kaduna State.

The groups said the irregularities ranges from intimidation, voting buying, selling during the elections, violent acts during voting, counting and collation of results as reported in some places among others.

These were contained in a report of the Domestic Observer Groups signed by Usman Kabir, Felicia Kwawo of Centre for Strategy for Ethics and Values Women Empowerment for Global Impact Initiative and Sambo Sani Umar of the Initiative for the Promotion of the Integrity Friends for Civic Obligations and Sustainable Truth and Peace Initiative Peace, (INPROCOSUP), and made available to journalists.

The groups lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over the prompt distribution of election materials to polling units, adding that the distribution of election materials was timely just as cases of insufficient election materials was minimal and voting commenced peacefully and calmly in places where elections held.

The groups which said they deployed their members to 189 Registration Areas (Wards) in the 23 local government areas of Kaduna state, added that there was significant improvement in general just as voting commenced in most of the places on scheduled time compared to the Presidential and National Assembly elections held on the February 23, 2019.

The report of the group further states; “The actions and impunity with which some electoral actors conducted themselves, using the military, INEC officials and polling agents, subvert citizen confidence in elections and threaten the legitimacy of the outcome of the election.

“In Kaduna, state-level elections are fiercely contested, as the two major political parties compete for vote and access to public offices and resources; and engage in campaigns at the local level. Intra-state politics and campaigns embitter pre-existing religious and ethnic tensions. Our members noted how religious or ethnic divisions fueled by political actors, the clergy and the media create fault lines that could enhance election-related violence and acrimony for a long time, if not abated.

“Prior to the election, the political space was characterized by accusation, counter accusation and cross carpeting by political actors.

“However, election materials meant for 7 polling units in Haskiya ward, Kubau local government area were hijacked by some of the political actors and no election took place in the said polling units.

“Despite that and surprisingly, election results were collated and declared at the collation center, under the protection of armed security personnel. Voter turnout was significantly low in comparison with that of Presidential and National Assembly election.

“As the elections progressed, our members observed irregularities in the voting processes; vote buying and voter inducement, metres away from the polling units were witnessed in some polling units in Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Ikara, Kubau and Kachia where supplementary election for House of Representatives was conducted; Igabi, Giwa, Zaria, Kagarko, Lere, Soba and Kauru.

“Non-usage of card reader characterized the election in Yakawada, Idasu, Giwa, Shika, Kakangi and Guga wards of Giwa local government area. Moreso, some polling units in Zaria, Sabongari, Ikara, Lere, Igabi, Soba, Kaduna South, and Kaduna North were not exempted.

“Incidents of snatching and stuffing of ballot boxes were recorded in 13 polling units in Magajin Gari III of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area. Such cases were reported to the police by our members, but they decided not to act promptly. Instances of voters and agent’s intimidation; and violent acts aided by the military were noted in Kwasallo ward in Soba Local government area; the military led by senior local council official disrupted voting, unleashed terror and carted away ballot boxes in some of the polling units in Ikara, Fala, Sayasaya, Kurmin Kogi, Rumi Auchan, Kuya, Paki, Jamfalan and saulawa wards in Ikara local Government area. Some of our observers fell victims of these attacks.

“In Yakawada, Idasu, Giwa, Shika and Kakangi wards in Giwa Local Government Area, the same reports of incidences were recorded by our staff. Apparently, the observer groups identified most of the manipulations, irregularities, falsification of results, harassments and intimidation of party agents, observer groups and the media at the collation centers, at the local government levels.

“In Ikara, Jamfalan, Fala, Kurmin Kogi, Rumi, Auchan and Paki wards in Ikara local government area; Tudun wada, Ungwan Fatika and ungwan Juma wards in Zaria local Government Area; Pambeguwa and Haskiya wards in Kubau Local Government Area; Idasu, Kakangi, Yakawada, Giwa and Shika wards of Giwa Local Government Area; Hayin Banki/Ungwan Kanawa and Maiburuji wards in Kaduna North Local Government Areas; Kukuyi ward in Kagarko Local Government Area; Kwasallo ward in Soba local government area; and Makera constituency collation centres, security agents in collaboration with political actors prevented or chased away observers from collation centres in the places mentioned above. These gave some political actors the cover to manipulate and rig elections in the mentioned areas.

“Observers reported a case where 54 vehicles carrying INEC on election duty stickers loaded with suspected political thugs armed with weapons, wearing tags of a political party on election day successfully passes through over 10 security check points unabated, from Kaduna to the Southern part of the state, only to be accosted at Zonkwa by vigilant members of the public, who were suspicious of their movement. The incident led to high tension, burning down of three vehicles, before the police and senior political actors doused the tension. Before then, four persons were arrested by the police in Zangon Kataf Local Government.

“It is worthy to note, how such mass movement of vehicles and people were able to cross the boundaries of Local Governments in Kaduna State during the elections in spite of the heavy security presence is quite intriguing and worrisome.

“Very worrisome was the new method of indiscriminate cancellation of results at the collation centers based on frivolous and unsubstantiated allegations. These happened with the connivance of INEC officials and the security agencies. It was obvious that INEC officials compromised the electoral processes in most places where manipulations were prevalent.”

The groups condemned the militarization of the political space, stressing that it has the tendency to erode voter confidence and engender apathy.

The groups stated that secrecy of ballot was not adequately protected within polling units observed, adding that voters cast their ballot very close to party agents, polling and security officials and the general public, this violates the sanctity of ballot.