Yiaga Africa alleges manipulation in Edo guber election, questions integrity of results

Yiaga Africa, a prominent election observer group, has raised concerns about the integrity of the recently concluded governorship election in Edo State, citing widespread manipulation during the poll.

In a post-election statement co-signed by Dr. Aisha Abdullahi, Chair of the 2024 Edo Election Mission, and Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, the group expressed doubts about the credibility of the election, despite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaring Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner.

Yiaga Africa employed its Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) methodology, deploying 300 stationary and 25 roving observers across the state.

The findings revealed significant lapses, particularly in areas like Ikpoba/Okha, Etsako West, Egor, and Oredo LGAs, where incidents of result manipulation and disruptions occurred.

The group highlighted inconsistencies in the official results announced by INEC compared to their PRVT estimates.

For example, the results for the APC in Oredo and Egor LGAs, as well as the PDP in Esan West and the Labour Party in Oredo, reportedly fell outside the expected ranges, indicating potential manipulation at the collation stage.

Yiaga Africa condemned the actions of compromised INEC officials and security personnel, citing instances of intimidation, interference, and altered figures during collation.

They also criticized the violence directed at voters and election officials, which further undermined the credibility of the election.

Additionally, voter turnout was notably low, with only 22.4% of registered voters participating, despite high PVC collection rates.

Yiaga Africa acknowledged the resilience of voters who defied the challenges but stressed the need for electoral reforms to protect Nigeria’s democracy.

An unnamed INEC official responded, stating that while Yiaga Africa’s findings are notable, they cannot solely determine the election’s credibility.

The official emphasized that legal channels remain open for aggrieved parties to seek redress.

INEC has also indicated that it will review complaints and take appropriate actions where necessary.

This development adds to the mounting tension surrounding the election, as opposition parties and civil society organizations continue to question the results.