#OndoDecides2024: Policemen, Other Operatives Looked Away As APC Party Offered Voters N20,000 In Ileoluji – Report
It specifically, requested that party agents, accredited media, and election observers should be allowed to have access to the collation centers to ensure transparency in the process.
Yiaga Africa Watching The Vote has called on the security and anti-graft agencies to ensure diligent prosecution of individuals caught in the act of vote buying and other electoral fraud or offences at the ongoing Governorship Election in Ondo State.
Yiaga Africa WTV made the call in a Mid-day Situational Statement on the 2024 Ondo State Governorship Election which was signed by Chair of the 2024 Ondo Election Mission and Director of Programmes Yiaga Africa, Ezenwa Nwagwu and Cynthia Mbamalu respectively.
The report said the All Progressives Congress (APC) party agent stationed at the Odulufe, Omoke, Odosika, Ogubgobe polling unit in the Ileooluji II ward of Ileoluji LGA was observed offering cash inducements of N20,000 to voters in exchange for their vote for the party.
While commending Nigeria’s secret police Department of State Services (DSS) for arresting mercenaries deployed by political parties to buy votes in the election, it appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure strict adherence to the guidelines for results collation.
It specifically, requested that party agents, accredited media, and election observers should be allowed to have access to the collation centers to ensure transparency in the process.
On issue of Vote-buying at polling units, the group regretted that in some places security agencies were watching and did nothing especially where it involved the ruling All Progressives Congress agents and machineries.
It stated, “The APC party agent stationed at the Odulufe, Omoke, Odosika, Ogubgobe polling unit in the Ileooluji II ward of Ileoluji LGA was observed offering cash inducements of N20,000 to voters in exchange for their vote for the party.
“Unfortunately, security agents did not intervene to stop this action. Voters at the Ogun/Saruku Area polling unit in Ilara II ward, Ifedore LGA, revealed how they marked their ballot papers to agents of the APC party in exchange for cash gifts.
“The security personnel present did not respond to this situation. PDP and APC agents were observed bribing voters with cash incentives ranging from N5000 to N10,000 at the Elegiri/Ediro Compound polling unit in Ilara I ward, Ifedore LGA.”
Yiaga Africa, however, recommended, “Security agencies should remain professional and nonpartisan throughout the voting and results collation process. They should also impose appropriate sanctions for any violation of the Electoral Act on Election Day, especially any threat to the right to vote or attempts to buy votes.
“All electoral stakeholders, including citizens, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties and security agencies should remain committed to the peaceful completion of the election. This includes orderly conduct as the voting and counting process concludes at the polling units and the results collation commences at all levels.
“We call on the security and antigraft agencies to ensure diligent prosecution of individuals caught in the act of vote buying and other electoral fraud or offences.
“Yiaga Africa appeals to INEC, all security agents, political party candidates and their supporters, and all residents of Ondo to work together to ensure that the Election is credible and peaceful,” the statement partly read.
