Osun Polls: Vote Buying, Compromised Secrecy of Ballot Prevalent, Says Yiaga Africa
Osun, Osogbo - Election observer group, Yiaga Africa, in its mid-day observation report at the ongoing Osun gubernatorial polls, says there have been incessant cases of vote buying at polls.
Yiaga Africa made these submissions via a statement made available to Legit.ng on Saturday, July 16.
Source: Facebook
According to the report, there were also incidents of compromised secrecy of the ballot in some polling units, malfunctioning BVAS machines, and intimidation of voters across some polling units in the state.
The report says:
"For instance, PU 009, Akinlalu Commercial Grammar School, Ward 01 in Ife North. The party agents strategically positioned themselves by the voting cubicle to see how voters marked their ballots.
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"In PU 003 Opp. Olomu Mosque in Osogbo, PDP party agents were seen handing out between N2000 and N5000 to induce voters. Also, in Disu Polling Unit 003, ward 7 in Orolu LGA, APC agents were seen distributing N4000 to voters who voted for the party while PDP party agents were seen distributing N2000 to induce voters."
As contained in the report, Yiaga Africa submitted that some voters were showing how they mark their ballot papers to APC party agents before dropping them in the ballot box.
APC thugs threaten to stab voter
Similarly, it was gathered that some thugs associated with the ruling All Progressive Party (APC) threatened to stab any voter who did not vote for the APC. The voters however insisted on casting their votes for the candidate of their choice.
Yiaga Africa said it also received a report from Ogbagba Village, Ward 11, Pu 013 of a thug/cultist affiliated with the PDP coming to disrupt the process.
Observer group roles out recommendations
Meanwhile, the observer group urged the INEC to extend the voting time and deploy additional BVAS machines to polling units with a number of registered voters above the threshold of 750 and polling units with late commencement of accreditation and voting.
It also urged INEC to uphold the secrecy of the ballot by ensuring voting cubicles and ballot boxes are situated to guarantee the secrecy of the ballot.
On the part of the security agencies the group said:
"Security agencies should impose appropriate sanctions for any form of violation of the Electoral Act on Election Day, especially any threat to the right to vote or attempts to buy votes."
Source: Legit.ng
