The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room) has issued its first statement to journalists to address the Ondo State Election.
It stated it has been observing the ongoing process of the 2024 Ondo State Governorship election held on Saturday, 16th November 2024, and will continue to follow up the process of the election until the collation and declaration of results is concluded.
Her Situation Room notes that the generally calm atmosphere in the State has continued into the voting period and as the process of sorting and counting of votes progresses at the polling unit level, Situation Room made the following observations.
That polls generally opened early across the State. Poll officials and materials arrived early in 97% of the polling units (PUs) observed and opened polls at the official hour of 8:30am. No shortage of voting materials was reported in the polling units observed.
The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) performed optimally in 99% of the polling units observed. There were, however, isolated cases of malfunctioned BVAS. For example, at PU 7 Olokuta, Ward 1, and FUTA Gate, Gbogi Isinkan Ward, both in Akure South LGA, the accreditation devices malfunctioned but were replaced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The average turnaround time for accreditation of voters by the BVAS was 3 minutes across the State. However, the response of the BVAS was abysmal in PU 9, Ward 2, Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo LGA, and PU 66, Ward 10, Odigbo LGA.
Situation Room observed that vulnerable persons, pregnant women, and voters with disability were mostly accorded priority at the polling units. Assistive devices were sparsely distributed across the polling units where voters with disability are registered.
Findings from observers and member organizations of the Situation Room, TAF Africa, show that assistive materials such as the braille ballot guide, magnifying glasses, Form EC40H PWD Voter Information and Form EC30PWD ‘the written instruction’ for voters with hearing impairment were not available in most of the places they were needed. For example, in PU 2, Ward 5, Ilaje LGA as well as PUs 8, 22, and 28 of Ward 5 in Akure North LGA where none of the required assistive devices were available for voters with disability.
According to Yiaga Africa’s mid-day report shows that in 31% of the polling units observed, voters “had to climb steps or cross over gutters” to access the polling units, which impeded access of voters with disability in the affected locations.
On Election security, Report from the Cleen Foundation observation hub reveals that Security deployment for the election was adequate and proportionate to the number of polling units.
Situation Room observers reported that security personnel arrived early at the polling units. The Police, in particular, were present in 84% of the polling unit observed at the official opening hour of polls, i.e. 8:30am.
Security personnel observed at the polling units were generally polite and professional. In polling unit 64, Ward 1 of Odigbo LGA, they intervened just in time when thugs attempted to disrupt the voting process. Meanwhile, a Policeman was observed attempting to influence voter’s choice in polling unit 15, Ward 3 of Irele LGA which culminated in conflict between accredited party agents.
The Kimpact Development Initiative mid-day report indicates that 20 incidents of violence have so far been tracked, none of which resulted in disruption of vote except in polling unit 3, Ward 5 in Idanre LGA where party supporters reported fired gunshots at the polling unit.
The Situation Room noted that the trend of persistent vote trading during elections in Nigeria is a thing of concern.
