Anambra Election: Observer Group Alerts INEC, says Politicians Inducing Voters With Ankara, N1,500
- Ahead of the November 6 governorship election in Anambra state, politicians are reportedly engaging the voters with vote buying
- An election observer group, Yiaga Africa, has called out the Independent Electoral Commission to be at alert as politicians have started giving out gift items and cash
- The group while frowning at the new development, planned on deploying a new tool that would checkmate the overall conduct of the election
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Anambra, Awka- Ahead of the Anambra governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 6, an election observer group, Yiaga Africa, has accused politicians of inducing voters with gift items and monetary gifts.
The group disclosed this at a press briefing attended by a Legit.ng reporter in Awka on Friday, November 6.
Source: Original
Reading the summary of findings from Yiaga Africa's pre-election observation, its executive director, Samson Itodo, said:
Yiaga Africa Watching The Vote (WTV) observers tracked incidents of voter inducements manifested through the distribution of money or gift items.
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Generally, the campaigns were bereft of policy debates. In Ogbaru, Awka North, Ayamelum, Idemili North, and Onitsha North local government areas, parties and candidates distributed fabrics materials (Ankara), money (N1500), and other gift items during party campaigns.
Speaking on violence during political campaigns and attacks on political party supporters, he said Yiaga Africa received reports of physical violence during political party rallies and campaigns in Awka North and Ihiala local government areas.
He said there was also violent and fatal attacks on political party supporters and various government institutions by unidentified assailants in Anambra East, Ogbaru LGA, Nnewi North, Orumba North, and Ihiala local government area
Itodo has lamented over the non-compliance with COVID-19 Public Health Protocols despite the COVID-19 situation in the state coupled with INEC’s policy guide on conducting elections in the COVID-19 pandemic era.
His words:
''Yiaga Africa observed non-compliance with public health protocols during campaigns. Party supporters flouted the public health guidelines by not wearing face masks or maintaining social distancing.
''Yiaga Africa notes the failure of political parties to develop COVID-19 protocol for ensuring adherence to COVID-19 public health protocols.''
Legit.ng gathered that Yiaga Africa is deploying its Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology for the Anambra state governorship election.
The PVT is an advanced election observation methodology that employs well-established statistical principles and sophisticated information technologies in providing timely and accurate information on the conduct of accreditation, voting, and counting, and it independently verifies the official governorship results as announced by the INEC.
Yiaga Africa will deploy 500 stationary observers to a representative statistical sample of 248 polling units and 27 mobile observers located in all 21 local government areas of Anambra state. WTV will also deploy 21 collation centre observers to each of the local government area collation centres in the southeast state.
Just In: APC raises alarm, says there are last minute attempts to implicate Andy Uba ahead of Anambra election
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised an alarm, alleging that there are plans by some politicians in Anambra to implicate its candidate, Senator Andy Uba, ahead of the governorship election.
Speaking to Legit.ng in an exclusive interview in Awka, Igboeli Arinze, coordinator for media, Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, said there is already a well-orchestrated media campaign against Senator Uba ongoing.
Arinze who is also the zonal publicity secretary of the APC in Anambra Central Senatorial district, stated that Bank documents posted on social media alleging that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) paid N2. 4 billion in arms fraud to Senator Uba is a hatchet job.
Source: Legit.ng
Jerrywright Ukwu Jerrywright Ukwu is an Abuja-based senior political/defence correspondent. He is a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos and the International Institute of Journalism in Abuja. He is also a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. He spends his leisure-time reading history books. He can be reached via email at jerrywright39@yahoo.com.
Esther Odili (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Esther Odili is a journalist and a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng with 6+ years of experience. Before joining Legit.ng, Esther has worked with other reputable media houses, such as the New Telegraph newspaper and Galaxy Television. She Holds OND and HND in Mass Communication from NIJ, where she was recognized as the best student in print journalism in 2018. Email: esther.odili@corp.legit.ng.
