March 18 Election: Fresh Concerns of Voter Inducement Recorded in Benue, Yobe, Akwa Ibom Ahead of Polls

March 18 Election: Fresh Concerns of Voter Inducement Recorded in Benue, Yobe, Akwa Ibom Ahead of Polls

FCT, Abuja - Ahead of the 2023 gubernatorial polls, foremost election observer group Yiaga Africa has confirmed cases of voter inducement in Akwa Ibom state, Yobe state and Benue state.

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!

This development was made known on Thursday, March 16, at a pre-election press briefing of Yiaga Africa attended by Legit.ng at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja.

Yiaga Africa
Yiaga Africa's director of programs, Cynthia Mbamalu speaking during the introductory session of the pre-election press briefing at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. Photo: @YIAGA
Source: Twitter

While reeling out the pre-election report, Yiaga Africa's board member, Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu, said its field observers deployed across the federation revealed a series of voter inducements activities in the form of gift items, wired money transfers by politicians and a host of others.

He said:

"Yiaga Africa received reports of the distribution of money and food items by supporters of the APC in Mbakyaa Mbachougul, Tarka LGA, Benue State.

Read also

Rivers guber 2023: Dread as gunmen kidnap APC bigwig 2 days to poll

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

"The APC and PDP representatives were seen collecting voters' bank account details in Damaturu and Potiskum LGAs in Yobe State, to make wire transfers ahead of the elections.
"From Akwa Ibom, Yiaga Africa also received reports that the PDP youths in Ibeno LGA were given a cash inducement of N1,000,000 after they had endorsed a candidate on Sunday, March 12, 2023."

In its pre-election findings about the readiness of the bimodal voter accreditation systems (BVAS) for the gubernatorial polls, it was gathered that there were 22 BVAS uncounted for or missing in Rivers state while three others have been damaged.

Elsewhere in Oyo state, the situation was different as Yiaga Africa's report revealed that 406 BVAS were received as a backup..

Read also

Presidential election: Save Nigeria from looming crisis, war, Youths tell Buhari, INEC, Court

Nwagwu said:

"Yiaga Africa received reports from across the states that the Commission reconfigured a substantial number of Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems ahead of the Saturday polls. Some states like Oyo reported receipt of additional 406 BVAS as a backup.
"As of 15 March 2023, Yiaga Africa received reports from Rivers state that there were 22 BVAS uncounted for or missing and 3 damaged BVAS."

It was gathered that the European Union supported the pre-election observation through its Support for Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN).

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Segun Adeyemi avatar

Segun Adeyemi (Current Affairs and Politics Editor) Segun Adeyemi is a journalist with over 9 years of experience as an active field reporter, editor, and editorial manager. He has had stints with Daily Trust newspaper, Daily Nigerian, and News Digest. He currently works as an editor for Legit.ng's current affairs and politics desk. He holds a degree in Mass Communication (Adekunle Ajasin University). He is a certified digital reporter by Reuters, AFP and the co-convener of the annual campus journalism awards. Email: segun.adeyemi@corp.legit.ng.