The International Police Chaplain Sustainable Development has applauded the activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and the good people of the state for proper conduct during the election.
While speaking with journalist on the outcome, the Spokesperson of the group, Oscar David said the election umpire did well in the area of it’s prompt arrival of personnel and workable materials.
November, 2024 1.0 BACKGROUND AND OBJECT
Ondo State Nigeria Gubernatorial Election 2024/IPCSL Electoral Observation
The Electoral Observation Mission of the INTERNATIONAL POLICE CHAPLAIN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, INC is in Ondo State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on accreditation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with objective to observe the off-circle Gubernatorial Elections scheduled for November 16, 2024.
The Mission Team is headed by the Nigerian Director of Political and Democratic Affairs, Hon. Seye Oyetade, while the Director of Administration and Organisations at the African Regional Command, Mr. Oscar David serves as Mission Spokesperson.
Once Again, we start by commending the Independent National appreciate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for our accreditation among the very few Observation Mission for this Election in Ondo State, which enables us contribute meaningfully to Democratic Development and Political Growth of Nigeria. We further commend the Commission for continuous improvements operations and sustained reforms, having acted promptly on most of the recommendations we made during the September Off-circle Governorship Elections in Edo State, which IPCSL actively participated.
IPCSL’s purpose in being in Ondo State Nigeria is to assess the integrity, credibility and transparency of the November 16, 2024 off-circle Gubernatorial Election.
Our mission deployed 50 director Official of our Organisation to the three (3) Senatorial Districts of Ondo State, while engaging and collaborating with 20 Domestic Observer Organisations that mobilized and deployed 10 experienced persons each, making a total of two hundred (200) Domestic Officials who were sent to the 18 Local Government Areas of the State. As working tools, our team used touch tablets and laptops. We equally hired Sienna Vehicles for Transportation, and Boats in some riverine areas Our Officials observed the opening, voting, closing and counting operations in the different Polling Units in their deployment areas.
As usual the Mission Teams interacted with both the Electorate (Voters), Electoral Officials, Security Agents and Political Stakeholders / Actors in their areas of deployment, while observing voting, counting and collation operations. A debriefing session was organized at the end of the Election Day to deliver the observation report to the Mission’s management team.
2.0 OBSERVATION
2.1 Security: Our Mission Team observed further improvements on the mobilization and participation of the Security apparatus in the Ondo Election. Unlike the Edo Election wherein the Military were over mobilized and seen in almost every nooks and crany, the Ondo scenario was largely the Police and Civil Defense Corps that were seen at Polling Units and Streets, with Army generally restricted to border areas and flashpoints.
The Security conducted itself professionally and did not interfere in the processes. IPCSL commends the performance of the Security Agencies in this Election.
2.3 Electoral Officials: INEC appears to be intense in training and re-training of its Staff and Ad-Hoc Workers as the Ondo Election largely witnessed improved performance in the Service of Electoral Officials, with negligible cases of poor handling of Equipment and Voters on the part of the Electoral Officials. The BVAS functioned well, except in isolated cases, while accreditation, voting, counting and collation exercises were generally satisfactory and acceptable by the Party Agents on ground, as only in very few Polling Units did we observe rancor or rejection of outcome at point of counting.
On voting day, our mission randomly visited over 200 polling stations across the 18 Local Government Areas, and in randomly selected Wards. Most Polling Units opened at the official time (8:30 a.m.); some were, however, late in opening owing to transportation logistics as they informed us.
2.3 Political Parties and Stakeholders
17 Political Parties fielded Candidates for the Election, however, only 2 were highly visible and did remarkable mobilizations of Party Agents across the Polling Units of the 18 Local Government Areas of Ondo State. The 2 Parties were the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Both Parties performed above average in mobilization of Agents and Electorates, while other were almost absent in on Voting Day.
In terms of overall voters mobilization, the attendance and turnout in Polling Units varied significantly across LGAs; some witnessed massive voters turnout, while some experienced notable voters apathy, which was attributed to low morale resulting from economic hardship in the country generally, coupled with dwindling interest of citizen in political activities.
3.0 SPECIFIC INCIDENCES
In Unit 4, Ore Ward 1, in Odigbo LGA, there was no voter seen up till 11:00 am despite the presence and readiness of INEC officials and availability of electoral materials, indicating very poor turnout and high voters apathy.
Some isolated incidences of Vote Trading at Idonre area
In Idonre a violent incidence was recorded wherein a young man who was alleged to have snatched two ballot boxes was attacked and stabbed with broken bottles to point of endangering of life.
A man was caught with some large volume of money on Election Day in the Akoko area, but claimed he was a cocoa trader.
4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
As was made in our Edo Report, our Mission Team recommends further review of the Electoral Laws and Guidelines to tackle few challenges and incidences observed that need adequate legislations
More intense Voters Education and Mass Sensitization by both Electoral Body and Political Parties
Further improvement in security strategies to build more confidence and reduce voters suppression
We recommend that INEC continue to interact with Political Parties and the Civil Society Community in order to strengthen and deepen the nation’s Democracy.
Candidates and political actors are urged to resort to legal channels in case of contestation and disagreement in Results, to sustain social peace and avoidance of breakdown of Law and Order.
As a key player in social cohesion, especially during the electoral period, the Organized Civil Society should pool its resources and further synergies for more effective observation of the electoral process. It should pursue Civic Education and Citizen Sensitization in order to strengthen inclusive participation in these major effort of National Development.
5.0 CONCLUSION
IPCSL Mission Preliminary Report conclude that the 2024 off-circle Gubernatorial Election in Edo State Nigeria was very peaceful, transparency, credible and successful, with minimal incidences and complaints by Party Agents at Polling Units and Collation Centre.
The IPCSL mission commends the People of Ondo State in their conducts and cooperation with our Time Members across the LGAs, Political Parties and all Stakeholders for enabling environment towards successful election, with show of patriotism and democratic culture, while urging all to continue to work to preserve national peace and stability in order to consolidate democracy and the rule of law, especially in a challenging socio-political context in the country.
The Mission asserts, without fear of any contradictions, that the final result declared by INEC truly reflect the records of the ballot boxes at Polling Units. IPCSL welcomes the good collaboration between the various International Missions and Domestic Observers. Likewise, we salute the quality of the exchanges and shared experiences in the Mission to Ondo State.
Long live Nigerian democracy!
