Observers score governorship election high

dimeji akinloye

November 23, 2015 8:15 PM

It was however alleged that some electoral officers connived with some political parties to compromise INEC’s integrity during the exercise.

Voting process going on in Kogi State

Accredited domestic observers of Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi said Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) conduct of the poll was an improvement on its previous performances.

The group in a statement in Lokoja on Monday said that early distribution of materials to all the polling units was a great departure from approach to previous elections.

The statement signed by Mr Daniel Asukwo of the Initiative for the Promotion of Civic Obligations and Sustainable Peace, said that in spite of some apprehensions before the election, it was generally peaceful.

It, however, alleged that some electoral officers connived with some political parties to compromise INEC’s integrity during the exercise.

It advised the new chairman of the commission to deploy trained and impartial personnel in subsequent elections.

In an interview, Dr Gabriel Nwamba of Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, expressed support for INEC’s declaration of the poll as inconclusive.

He said that the margin between the two leading parties was truly below the number of registered voters in polling units cancelled.

Nwamba said that violence was visible in some places, including Ayingba, Ankpa, Dekina, Ejule and Odolu in the eastern senatorial district where thugs reportedly hijacked ballot boxes and burnt them.

It would be recalled that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State's gubernatorial poll, Abubakar Audu, suddenly died shortly after the election was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

dimeji akinloye