Attahiru Jega
The Nigeria Civil Society Election Situation Room, which observed this weekend’s governorship election in Anambra State, says the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed incompetence.
“INEC's conduct of the Governorship election in Anambra State poses serious concerns ahead of the 2015 general elections and the Situation Room calls on INEC to change its strategy with a view to improving on its preparations for the 2015 elections,” the group said in its final statement on the election issued on Sunday.
It expressed worry that INEC is not publicly announcing the results coming in from the local government areas to the state collation centre, given that the collation phase is historically the weakest link in the elections process in Nigeria.
“The fact that the announcement of the final result will be delayed due to the rescheduled election in Idemili North LGA and that the results from other local government areas are being withheld by INEC provide cause for concern,” the group said.
It pointed out that several failings identified in previous observer reports seemed to have repeated themselves, and that the assertion by the electoral commission that the election would be a [positive] litmus test of its preparedness for the 2015 general elections had not been fully realized.
The group also expressed concern that INEC is still unable to deal with the perennial challenge of late distribution of election materials, as well as commencement of accreditation and voting.
“The Situation Room is also very worried about the gross incompetence of INEC officials charged with the responsibility of distributing election materials. This incompetence manifested in the reported mix up of the election materials for areas such as Idemili North LGA. It also reflects INEC's failure to respond to challenges in a timely and effective way. Although INEC has rescheduled elections in a number of polling units in the worst affected areas, such mix up affects the integrity of our electoral process.”
It also noted that:
- Election officials were not deployed in sufficient numbers to some polling units, making it difficult for those officials posted to the units to effectively carry out their duties;
- Some voters could not find their names in their voters' register in many polling units, particularly in Idemili North LGA.
“The Situation Room is worried that widespread cases of missing names in the voters' register questions the integrity of the accreditation process and the authenticity of the voters' register,” it said. “We, therefore, in the strongest terms possible charge INEC with the responsibility of addressing the systemic organizational failures as witnessed in many areas of Anambra State, especially in Idemili North LGA.”
The group also drew attention to low voter numbers.
“Although various reports in the media suggest high turnout of voters based on the sometimes large crowds seen milling around some polling units, the actual accredited voters based on our observations fell far short of the numbers of registered voters in the respective polling units,” it said.
Earlier today, the he All Progressives Congress (APC) demanded a total cancellation of the election on the basis of “massive disenfranchisement” of people across the state, caused by the blatant incompetent and/or deliberate sabotage by the electoral commission itself.
In a statement issued in Lagos by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the call superseded its earlier call for a rerun in four local government areas, and was based on the report it received from its agents as well as from local and foreign observers during the poll.
It said that INEC inexplicably used a voters' register that is totally different from what it gave to political parties ahead of the election, with the result that the new register did not contain the names of most of the registered voters in the state.
Worse still, APC said, delivery of materials to the strongholds of the APC candidate, Senator Chris Ngige, was either done very late or not at all, a development that further robbed over 300,000 of his supporters in three key local governments of Idemili North, Idemili South and Awka South of their franchise.
Full text of the Civil Society group report:
Final Statement on the 2013 Anambra State Governorship Election
ISSUED AT AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE,
12:00 NOON, SUNDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2013.
The Nigeria Civil Society Election Situation Room observed the
governorship election conducted in Anambra State on 16 November 2013
and would like to make the following observations.
General conduct of the elections
It is our overall impression that the conduct of the elections leaves
a lot to be desired and reflected the lack of competence on the part
of INEC in the conduct of elections. The several failings of past
elections identified in previous observer reports seem to have
repeated themselves, and INEC's assertion that this election would be
a litmus test of its preparedness for the 2015 general elections has
not been fully realized.
Timely distribution of materials and commencement of accreditation
The Nigerian Civil Society Election Situation Room notes that election
materials were not distributed in a timely manner in many polling
units, and that this affected the timely commencement of accreditation
and voting, particularly in Idemili North, Idemili South, and Ogbaru
Local Government Areas. The Situation Room is concerned that INEC is
still not able to deal with the perennial challenge of late
distribution of election materials and commencement of accreditation
and voting. The Situation Room is also very worried about the gross
incompetence of INEC officials charged with the responsibility of
distributing election materials. This incompetence manifested in the
reported mix up of the election materials for areas such as Idemili
North LGA. It also reflects INEC's failure to respond to challenges in
a timely and effective way. Although INEC has rescheduled elections in
a number of polling units in the worst affected areas, such mix up
affects the integrity of our electoral process.
Deployment and conduct of election officials
The Situation Room notes that election officials were not deployed in
sufficient numbers to some polling units, making it difficult for the
election officials posted to the units to effectively carry out their
duties. We received reports that in some polling units, election
officials were recruited at the election venue and deployed without
any form of training. The inadequate deployment of election officials
and their poor training contributed in a large measure to the failure
of INEC to effectively implement logistical arrangements for the
election.
Missing names in the voters' register
Our network of observers noted that some voters could not find their
names in their voters' register in many polling units, particularly in
Idemili North LGA. The Situation Room is worried that widespread cases
of missing names in the voters' register questions the integrity of
the accreditation process and the authenticity of the voters'
register. We, therefore, in the strongest terms possible charge INEC
with the responsibility of addressing the systemic organizational
failures as witnessed in many areas of Anambra State, especially in
Idemili North LGA. INEC must make concerted efforts to ensure that
registered voters are not disenfranchised in future elections.
Voter turnout
Reports received by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room from our
field observers indicate a low voter turnout. Although various reports
in the media suggest high turnout of voters based on the sometimes
large crowds seen milling around some polling units, the actual
accredited voters based on our observations fell far short of the
numbers of registered voters in the respective polling units.
Deployment and conduct of Security Officials
Our network of observers across Anambra State noted that security
agents were deployed in sufficient numbers in most polling units, and
that these officers and men conducted themselves in a professional and
commendable manner. This is in spite of reports that security officers
deployed from outside Anambra State were not adequately provided with
food and shelter.
Collation and announcement
The Situation Room is worried that INEC is not publicly announcing the
results coming in from the local government areas to the state
collation centre. We are aware that the collation phase is
traditionally the weakest link in the elections process in Nigeria.
The fact that the announcement of the final result will be delayed due
to the rescheduled election in Idemili North LGA and that the results
from other local government areas are being withheld by INEC provide
cause for concern.
Conclusion
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room commends the people of
Anambra State for the orderly and peaceful manner in which they
conducted themselves during the governorship election in the State,
despite the challenges and difficulties experienced with the
elections. INEC's conduct of the Governorship election in Anambra
State poses serious concerns ahead of the 2015 general elections and
the Situation Room calls on INEC to change its strategy with a view to
improving on its preparations for the 2015 elections.
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