Osun 2018: CSO, Groups Assess INEC’s Performance

CSO, Others Commend INEC’s Performace In Osun Governorship Election.

A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, political parties and others yesterday assessed the Saturday’s inconclusive governorship election in Osun State.

The CSOs expressed worry over the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) delay in collating the Osun governorship election result.

According to a statement yesterday, by the Convener of the Situation Room, Mr Clement Nwankwo, there was need for INEC to change the trend on collation of results and use of electronic method.

Nwankwo also expressed concern that the result collation took place mostly at night.

“On collation of results, Situation Room is concerned that the process of collation is delayed and appears to happen mostly at night.

“This is when the political parties, candidates, observers and other election stakeholders may have depleted away from observation of the process, especially with fears of insecurity.

“This trend needs to change and INEC should consider an improvement and innovation in its processes that will enable the collation of results in as much of daylight as possible and thus reduce night time election activities.”

Nwankwo called on the INEC to open up its e-collation method to independent observers and other stakeholders in the electoral process to eliminate the present suspicion that now clouds the use of the said e-collation system.

He said this would create an understanding of this aspect of the election process and win support for its use.

“To further increase the credibility of election results, INEC will need to return to its previous practice of immediate publication of polling unit election results .

“As well as publishing all of the comprehensive details of collated results, including the Form EC60E, on its website and to be accessible to all.

“Situation Room also calls on INEC to ensure that its announcement of the introduction of Braille for voting is made operational across the country and that all persons with disabilities are able to vote during elections,” he said

Nwankwo said the Situation Room deployed observers across the 30 local government areas of the state to monitor the election .

He said incidents of vote buying reoccurred in the Osun State elections, even though at a reduced and less brazen manner.

He called on INEC to intensify the training of the different cadres of its staff to enhance their understanding of election duties and increase their confidence and ability to respond to election day challenges.

He, however, commended INEC for early commencement of the voting process, noting that polling units across the state opened early for accreditation and voting.

He likewise commended the people of Osun, the political parties and the security agencies on their good conduct.

Nwankwo said the announcement by the INEC and law enforcement officials that they would arrest vote-buyer suspects and charge them to court helped significantly in reducing the malpractice.

In his wors,  “As with recent INEC conducted governorship elections, incidents of vote buying reoccurred during the Osun State governorship election, even if at a reduced and less-brazen manner.

“Incidents now seem subtler with the announcement by INEC and law enforcement officials that suspects would be arrested and charged to court, and the actual deployment of security personnel to enforce this helped significantly.”

The coordinator commended Osun residents and political parties for conducting themselves peacefully during the poll.

He, however, called on INEC to intensify training of its different cadre of staff to enhance their understanding of their election duties and increase their confidence and ability to respond to election challenges.

Nwankwo said it was observed during the election that some INEC staff and officials were not sure of their responses to voters’ concerns or voting procedures, which he said created delay.

He also called on the electoral body to look into the process of results collation, which he said was usually done at night when political parties, candidates, observers and other election stakeholders “may have been depleted”.

The NCS recommended that INEC should ensure that its announcement of the introduction of Braille for voting was made operational across the country and that all people living with disabilities were able to vote during elections.

In the same vein, Socio_Politial group, Southern Nigeria Peoples Mandate (SNPM), has lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police over peaceful conduct of Osun governorship election.

Its President, Mr Augustine Chukwudum, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu yesterday.

Chukwudum also applauded INEC for the prompt arrival of voting materials and early commencement of voting in most polling booths in the state.

He said: “The SNPM is calling on the nation’s electoral body, INEC, to extend this recorded peaceful conduct of Osun governorship poll to the much-anticipated 2019 general elections.

“We are also calling on INEC to look into the issue of malfunctioning Card Readers.’

Chukwudum praised the Nigerian Police, for arresting some vote buyers and sellers during the election, adding that it should serve as deterrent to other Nigerians engaging in the ‘shameful act’.

He added: “The SNPM commends the Nigeria Police for the professional conduct of its personnel which led to the arrest of some vote buyers and sellers.

“It wants all Nigerians to completely frown at vote buying and selling, as well as expose those in the shameful habit.”

Meanwhile a variation of interests and opinions have been aired on social media over the Saturday selection.