The Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) has alleged that voters who cast their votes at the just concluded Ekiti State governorship election were induced with money by the political parties who participated in the election.
YIAGA made this known on Saturday, June 18, 2022 in its situation report on the election.
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According to the group, it received reports that party agents were seen sharing N7,000 to voters who showed how their ballot paper was marked at some polling units.
Also, secrecy of the ballot was compromised as people could see how voters marked the ballots at some polling units visited by its monitoring team.
On the performance of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), YIAGA stated that officials arrived early enough at 75 per cent of polling units.
“Vote buying was reported by WTV observers in Alowodolu / Ojo – The Apostolic P.S Compound with PU code 13/09/04/00 in Ijero Ward D of Ijero LGA,” it stated.
“Party agents from APC were reportedly sharing N7,000 to voters who showed how their ballot paper was marked. “A similar report on vote buying by APC was received from Open Space At Bamitale Along St. Mary’s Road in Ikere.
“Also, in Ogidi – in Ipoti Ward A, party agents from PDP and SDP were seen bribing voters. At C. A. C. Gramm. Sch./Ola Oluwa II with PU code 014 in Ado-Ekiti, APC party agent was also reportedly giving N5000 to voters who confirmed they had voted for the party.”
“Secrecy of the ballot was compromised as people could see how voters marked the ballots in Igede Ward II 13-13-06-014 in Irepodun/Ifelodun LGA. party agents for the APC, PDP and SDP clustered around the voting cubicle and saw how voters marked their ballot papers.
“Preliminary update from #EkitiDecides2022 reveals early arrival of polling officials and materials at polling units across the State. As of 7:30 am, Yiaga Africa #WatchingTheVote observers reported that INEC officials had arrived at 75% of polling units.
“Yiaga Africa notes that, the early commencement in the Ekiti Governorship election is an improvement when compared to the Anambra 2021 gubernatorial election.
“Yiaga Africa observed the deployment of the BVAS to all polling units. In 94% of the observed polling units, the BVAS functioned properly, however, in 6% of polling units, the BVAS malfunctioned and it was fixed.”
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