“Our Findings Did Not Declare You Winner”: YIAGA Africa Lambast Oyetola, APC Over Mischievous Claim
- Yiaga Africa has debunked claims that its Election Result Analysis Dashboard (ERAD) report in Osun state polls declared Governor Gboyega Oyetola winner
- The election observer group stated that the ERAD report only pointed out the shortcomings of INEC
- Yiaga Africa says it will maintain its original stance on the outcome of its Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) for Osun gubernatorial polls
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FCT, Abuja - Africa's apex and trusted electoral observer group, Yiaga Africa has debunked claims that its Election Result Analysis Dashboard (ERAD) report for the Saturday, July 16 Osun state gubernatorial polls declared the incumbent, Governor Gboyega Oyetola winner.
According to a statement made available to Legit.ng, Yiaga Africa said media reports and news reports credited to Ismail Omipidan, the Chief Press Secretary of the incumbent,, were wrongly referenced.
Source: UGC
Omipidan's controversial article titled "Osun Guber and Yiaga’s Revelations" was published on Wednesday, September 14 by the Nigerian Tribune.
In his article, he claimed Yiaga Africa's ERAD report revealed that there was overvoting in 12 local government areas of the state during the poll and other forms of inconsistencies that were spotted during their observation of the elections.
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Meanwhile, Yiaga Africa in its statement revealed that the ERAD report did not indicate Oyetola's victory, rather it only reeled out some of the shortcomings of INEC in uploading results.
Yiaga Africa outrightly rejected the claim by the CPS while categorically saying that its ERAD report did not question the outcome of the election. It called on Political parties to reference its report with the utmost sense of responsibility.
The statement reads:
"The ERAD report highlighted certain shortcomings with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) upload of results to the INEC Results Viewing (IREV) Portal and recommendations for improving the process ahead of the 2023 elections."
Yiaga Africa explains PVT and ERAD data
The election observer group also stated that its Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) for the Osun gubernatorial polls differs from the ERAD reports.
Yiaga Africa said the PVT provided timely information on the process and verify election results.
They said the PVT election observation methodology is a globally recognized election observation tool used by citizen groups.
"It is one of the most accurate and reliable election observation methodologies that can independently verify the accuracy of election day results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Yiaga Africa has deployed the PVT in 12 elections in Nigeria including the 2019 Presidential election.
"The ERAD report corroborates the PVT findings contained in the report on the Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections released on August 27th, 2022 which clearly revealed that the results announced by INEC in the Ekiti and Osun election were CONSISTENT with votes cast at the polling units.
"Had the official results been changed at the Ward, LGA, or State collation centers, the official results would not have fallen within the Yiaga Africa PVT estimated ranges."
The group said it strongly stands by its PVT findings which have in no way contradicted the ERAD report.
Osun 2022: Fresh evidence shows Adeleke may not be sworn-in as governor
Legit.ng had earlier reported that YIAGA Africa, on the July 2022 governorship election in Osun state has created tension among stakeholders in the state.
The observer revealed that there was overvoting in 12 local government areas of the state during the poll.
The campaign DG of the governor-elect, Ademola Adeleke, said that YIAGA Africa among other 60 observers who have commended the exercise is now coming two months after to reveal inconsistency in the poll.
Fresh facts about e-transmission of results in Ekiti, Osun polls
Similarly, Legit.ng reported that the conduct of the just concluded gubernatorial polls in Osun and Ekiti states has been greeted with inconsistencies.
A report by Yiaga Africa revealed that there were disparities in the electronic transmission of results at the gubernatorial polls.
However, the election observer group has urged INEC to step up and learn from its shortcomings ahead of the 2023 polls.
Source: Legit.ng
