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Nigeria’s Edo Governorship Election Fails to Meet Credibility Standards

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and its member organizations have expressed concerns over the integrity of the recent Edo governorship election, stating that the process did not meet the requirements of a credible election. The group, which includes Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), Yiaga Africa, Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), and TAF Africa, observed that the results collation process was marred by transparency issues and lacked clarity in the application of electoral rules.

According to Mrs. Mimijoo Achakpa, Co-Convener of the Situation Room, the group is concerned that the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on collation process were compromised in the election. The collation process was found to be weak, with some cases lacking transparency and openness to representatives of various candidates. Additionally, there were reports of over-voting and lack of inclusion of voters with disabilities, which compromised their independence and privacy.

The observers have recommended that INEC investigate polling officials and collation officers involved in alleged violations of guidelines on results collation. Ms. Cynthia Mbamalu, Director of Programmes at Yiaga Africa, also urged security agencies to provide information on disciplinary actions taken against officers found culpable of election fraud. She emphasized that polls should be conducted with electoral integrity standards, which were not met in this election.

The Edo governorship election has raised concerns over the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process, highlighting the need for reforms to ensure transparency, accountability, and credibility in future elections.