The Center For Transparency Advocacy (CTA), has set up a situation room in Owerri, to monitor tomorrow’s governorship elections in Kogi, Balyesa and Imo State.
Center For Transparency Advocacy will also deploy 212 observers across the three States.
The group said the reason for setting the situation room in Owerri was as a result that Imo State has more Local Government Areas than Kogi and Balyesa States
The group’s executive director, Faith Nwadishi, stated that security agencies do not need to wait for a presiding officer at a pulling unit before arresting electoral offenders.
She insisted on the continued deployment of the BVAS and immediate transmission of the results on the IREV which has proven to be a game changer in the conduct of the elections.
The group encouraged citizen to exercise their civic responsibilities by voting candidates of their choice.
CTA reminded the electorates that the Gubernatorial candidates are the ones closer to the grassroots, hence utmost care should be taken in choosing those who occupy such positions. We still believe in the ability of INEC to deliver a free, fair, credible and conclusive election.
Full statement below:
Centre for Transparency Advocacy Pre-Gubernatorial Election Statement on the Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States November 11, 2023 Governorship Elections at ROCKVIEW HOTELS, Owerri, Imo State
Owerri: 10th November, 2023
Gentlemen of the press,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to this election eve press conference on the three gubernatorial elections that will take place simultaneously tomorrow, November 11, 2023 in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States. This is an off-cycle election no doubt, but importantly, the first set of elections after the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria.
Nigerians in preparations for the 2023 general elections had high hopes given the promises and the incremental improvements witnessed during the off-season elections made possible with the introduction of technological innovations into the electoral process. These technological innovations were also deployed for the presidential and national assembly elections. Energized by the prospect of having their votes count, a new layer of Nigerians, especially the youths, became politically active in a manner never witnessed in the political history of the country.
It is against this background that the INEC is set to conduct the Gubernatorial Elections on Saturday, 11th November , 2023.
The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), an independent civic organization that has been actively involved in the observation of the Nigerian electoral process from its inception and an accredited Domestic Observer Group will be deploying 212 observers across the three states of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi ( at least three observers per LGA) who will be sending in reports in real time; making it possible for CTA to have firsthand information as to what happens on election day.
In line with our usual practice, the CTA has situated its Situation Room here in Owerri to liaise with our observers and coordinators in the other states of Bayelsa and Kogi. The CTA as earlier stated will deploy 212 trained election observers across the length and breadth of the three states of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States. These observers have been trained on Election Observation and adherence to INEC Election Guidelines.
Prior to this election, we held stakeholders meetings across the three states. We held the stakeholders meeting in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa in October. At these meetings, we had robust conversations with the diverse critical stakeholders on way forward. The recommendations from these meetings will form part our final election report.
In the course of the interactions during the stakeholders’ meetings, various concerns were raised by the stakeholders. They include
Inability of the police to arrest election offenders even at polling units except authorized by the Presiding Officer. Both citizens and security agencies see this as a serious issue that needs urgent attention through further advocacy and reforms.
lack of proper logistics associated with elections deployment of personnel and materials especially from the transport workers
Lack of verified information, falsehood / Misinformation and disinformation from the social media influencers, main stream media personalities
That INEC officials should not compromise at any time to safeguard the integrity of the political process
Further amendment of the Electoral Act and reforms to clear grey areas and ambiguity
During elections, most vehicles are seen moving around with pictures of contesting candidates placed on the plate number, and nothing is done about it.
As Citizens of these three states go to the polls again tomorrow, we want to call the attention of all and sundry to the following important issues-
PREPARATIONS OF INEC
Logistical arrangements: The hiccups that are usually experienced during elections should not for any reason rear its ugly head during these Governorship Elections on Saturday. All arrangements to move personnel and materials must be topnotch. Therefore, all hands must be on deck to realize this very important section of the election.
INEC : We commend INEC for initiating the process for sanctioning some of its errant election officials for misconduct in the last elections. This is not enough as we expect that more Electoral Officers and Adhoc staff should be sanctioned if they are involved in any form of electoral misconduct during these Saturday elections. . Integrity should be the watch word for INEC staff as citizens do not expect anything less. INEC as an institution and its staff must live above board. Finally, It is important that the Electoral Officers at the LGAs be on top of their game by promptly mobilizing members of the NURTW to move personnel and materials to polling units in good time.
We observed the Mock Accreditation of electorates across some selected wards in the three states.
CTA was part of the briefing of election observers both at the INEC Headquarters in Abuja and the three states of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi.
According to statistics from INEC; Total registered voters for the three states, 5,409,438. For Bayelsa, 1056862, Imo 2419922, Kogi 1932654 respectively. Total number of PVCs collected 5169692- Bayelsa 1017613, Imo – 2318919, Kogi- 1833160. The total number of LGAs in these states is 56. Bayelsa has 8 LGAs, 27 in Imo and 21 in Kogi with a total of 10510 polling units; 2244 for Bayelsa, 4758 for Imo and 3508 for Kogi. However, voting will not happen in 40 polling units, 38 in Imo and 2 in Bayelsa as it recorded no voters.
16 political parties will fill candidates in Bayelsa, 18 for Kogi and Imo State.
INEC has also made a summary of polling unit and collation Centre agents across the three states
PREPARATIONS BY SECURITY AGENCIES AND ELECTORAL VIOLENCE
Electoral violence: It is hoped that electoral violence and voter suppression that has left a sore taste in our electoral bud will not manifest in these governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi. Political thugs should not be allowed to destroy voting materials and harassing of citizens at polling units. There has been disturbing reports from the three states of violence, fear and intimidation of citizens. However, there are assurances by the supervising Deputy Inspectors Generals of Police deployed to supervise election security in the three states. We implore you to match actions with your assurances.
The CTA at this point calls for better synergy between security agencies across board to ensure safety of citizens, INEC personnel and materials before, during and after the elections on Saturday.
POLITICIANS AND THE NEED TO ENSURE A PEACEFUL ELECTION
MONEY POLITICS/VOTE BUYING: It has become imperative to say no to money politics, all forms of inducement and money laundering associated with our politics and elections. Citizens choices must never be subverted by the negative use of money to influence votes including the criminal purchases of PVCs by politicians.
We recognize clearly that the symbolic presence of law enforcement agents at polling units on election has not deterred vote buying. It is, therefore, important that a more result-oriented method like covert operations be adopted to curb this menace. An early warning flagging by the Central bank and Commercial institutions will as well alert anti-graft agencies to track illicit money intended to usurp the wills of the people through rigging of elections induced by money.
Hate speech: We are just few hours to the election day. Campaigns ended yesterday at midnight across the states. We call on politicians and their supporters to be at their best behaviour and resist any urge to breach the peace.
Politicians should resist the urge to indulge voter intimidation and suppression under whatever guise.
VOTER TURNOUT AND PARTICIPATION
Citizens should go out and vote candidates of their choice as it is their rights to do so. We consider the Gubernatorial elections very important hence we implore citizens to take it very seriously.
We call on citizens to shun vote buying and trading. They should ignore rumours that create fears and come out in their numbers to exercise their franchise.
Citizens should conduct themselves with utmost decorum while ensuring that their votes count.
MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION THROUGH THE MEDIA/SOCIAL MEDIA:
The social media has no doubts made communication easy in real time, but it also has its dark sides. Fake news hatched by unscrupulous elements to distort information and create chaos are often spread through the social media. We appeal that this should not be reinforced by the mainstream media in any guise. Neutrality by the mainstream media is key to dousing the negative effects of misinformation.
PEACE ACCORD: Once again we remind the politicians of the Peace Accord they voluntarily signed and rein-in their supporters; respect other candidates, desist from using abusive words and above all, shun violence as we have only one state that we can call our own.
In this election, CTA will be observing but not limited to the following
Logistics arrangements
Conduct of INEC Adhoc staff
Citizens participation
Political parties and Party Agents conducts at polling units
Security agencies and their relationship with voters on election day
Adherence to INEC Guidelines and Electoral Act by stakeholders on election day
And generally the transparency of the entire process
We appreciate the briefings by the Independent National Electoral Commission to Aquent observers with the preparedness of the INEC to conduct a free, credible, fair, peaceful and conclusive elections in the three states.
Equally , we commend the briefings on the Nigeria Police preparedness and the availability of the Police control Room phone numbers to be contacted to share credible and factual information without fear of victimization. We specially commend DIG Frank Mba who is leading the Election security in Imo State on his forthrightness and willingness to work with the civil society and election observers.
CONCLUSION
The CTA encourages citizen to exercise their civic responsibilities by voting candidates of their choice. They should remember that the Gubernatorial candidates are the ones closer to the grassroots, hence utmost care should be taken in choosing those who occupy such positions. We still believe in the ability of INEC to deliver a free, fair, credible and conclusive election. We also insist on the continued deployment of the BVAS and immediate transmission of the results on the IREV which has proven to be a game changer in the conduct of the elections.
Thank you.
Faith Nwadishi (JP)
Executive Director
CTA
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
Centre for Transparency Advocacy
House A
No 28 A, plot 696/8
Ubiaja Crescent, Garki 2, FCT, Abuja
Tel: 07044414414
SMS/WhatsApp: 08055082255
Email: info@cta.org.ng
Website: www.cta.org.
