Politics
International observers urge INEC to review Imo election due to irregularities
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been requested by Pan African Women Projects, a foreign observer group, to examine the Imo State governorship election due to “irregularities in result tallying as shown in the portal.”
The Head of Mission for Pan African Women Projects, Dr. (Mrs.) Eno UDENSI, claimed that elections were not held at numerous voting places throughout the state on Wednesday during a news conference in Owerri.
The group called on the new leadership of the Nigeria Police Force to address the murky areas of security lapses during the election and make corrections for the upcoming elections in Nigeria, expressing dismay at the violence that was documented during the conduct of the state’s governorship election.
“We noticed irregularities in the tallied results as shown in the portal at this election,” the group stated. Additionally, several polling places did not hold elections. We asked our field observers to record these units for our reports when these reports arrived in our situation room.
“We hope that the Electoral Commission will take notice of these irregularities and take into consideration our recommendations and suggestions in our report for subsequent credibility in future elections to be conducted,” the statement reads. “The elections in Imo State were conducted at variance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.”
One of the historic additions made by INEC to the Nigerian electoral process is the BVAS. However, it is not without flaws. INEC ought to give careful consideration to the BVAS’s information processing speed as well as the difficulties associated with network connectivity.
Notable instances of rioting were reported in a few Imo State Local Government Areas during this election. Only the happenings that our organisation saw on Saturday, November 11, 2023 in Imo State with the use of our observation team would be discussed and reported.
“An examination of the security agencies’ actions during this election is necessary. Through this channel, we beg the new leadership of the Nigerian Police Force to call a stakeholder meeting with representatives of the political parties, INEC, observers, and the media to discuss the details of the security lapses during this election and to make necessary adjustments for the country’s upcoming elections.
When we got to the polling places at Attah High School in Ikeduru, we were faced with a distressing scene. The PO voiced her horror at the armed thugs who broke into the polling places, taking materials and abducting Emmanuel Ihenachio Ezirim, leaving the young wife and mother in agony.
“We also transported all of the ad hoc workers from the polling places back to the Local Government Area INEC office, but we were unable to locate the policewoman who, according to our information, fled into the woods with other voters in order to be safe.
“Our observers deployed to the LGA observed incidents of ballot box snatching at Oru East.” 020 Ogbo-Ewu market square, 032 Oil Mill, 040 Ama Ofuokwu Owerri, 017 Capino Secondary School, Umuhu, Omuma, Unit 036 Umuihihioke, 042,043,045 Umunwanzu Square are the units. C. MUNICIPAL LGA OWERRI
We saw instances of harassment and voting box snatching at unit 022, Market Square, Orlu Road.
Armed robbers stole the vote box and took away the materials at Oru West unit 011, ward 1. Compared to previous elections we’ve seen, we saw a low voter turnout in this one throughout the State. There weren’t many voters overall at many of the polling places we visited, even at 12:30 p.m.
