December 08, 2015 – The Transition Monitoring Group today expressed concern over the conduct of the Bayelsa State governorship election, saying it fell below expectation and cannot pass credibility test.
The organisation which deployed 300 observers said security agencies disappointed Nigerians because they refused to act, despite earlier warnings three months before the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States regarding flash points.
The chairman of TMG, Mr. Ibrahim Zikirulkahi, who made the position known to reporters said there were widespread allegations of politicians buying up PVCs;
“Early warning signs of violence including arms build-up in identified areas – including Southern Ijaw and Ekeremor – seem not to have been adequately addressed by the security agencies in the lead-up to the election”, the TMG said.
TMG observers deployed in Southern Ijaw during the election dates largely reported that polling units did not open for election.
He said that TMG’s observers faced significant challenges deploying and observing throughout the entire day.
“Six observers located in Yenagoa, Brass, Nembe and Ekeremor reported that they were not permitted to observe. Other observers reported that elections did not take place in their assigned polling units or that they were unable to observe the entire process due to violence or ballot box snatching. Based on the complete reports from our citizen observers, which they sent in via coded text message using mobile phones, TMG finds that, while some elements of the Election Day process were adequate, there were serious shortcomings including:
Polling units across the state opened for accreditation late. Accreditation started by 9 a.m. or earlier in 43% of polling units observed. Accreditation started more than an hour late in 55% of polling units observed, beginning between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Accreditation had not started by 1 p.m. in 2 % of polling units observed.
In 74% of polling units, the card reader functioned without problems on Election Day. In 19% of polling units, the card reader experienced problems but the machine was either fixed or replaced. In 7% of polling units, the card reader experienced problems and was neither fixed nor replaced.
Ninety-seven percent (97%) of poll officials in the polling units where TMG observed asked all voters to present their permanent voters’ card (PVC) before voting. In 93% of these polling units, poll officials checked the permanent voters’ card of every voter with the card reader before accrediting them to vote. However, in 42% of polling units observed, individuals were permitted to vote if the card reader could not read their PVCs. In 11% of polling units observed, 26 or more individuals were permitted to vote although the card reader could not read their PVCs.
Eight percent (8%) of polling units observed experienced incidents of violence, harassment or intimidation during accreditation.
In 14% of polling units, the voting booth was set up in a way that did not enable voters to mark their ballots in secret.
In 90% of the polling units observed, no voters were permitted to vote if they did not have indelible ink on their left hand indicating that they had been accredited. In those polling units where voters were permitted to vote without indelible ink on their left hand, only a few individuals (in most polling units between 1 and 5 individuals) were so permitted.
In 19% of polling units observed, 26 or more individuals were accredited to vote while voting was ongoing.
Observers reported incidents of violence, harassment or intimidation during voting in 6% of the polling units they observed.
In 13% of polling units observed, the poll officials did not count the number of unused gubernatorial ballot papers, the number of counterfoils for used gubernatorial ballot papers, and the number of spoilt gubernatorial ballot papers.
In 37% of polling units observed, poll officials recounted the ballot papers. Polling agents for the All Progressives Congress requested that the ballot papers be recounted in 24% of polling units observed. Polling agents for the Peoples Democratic Party requested that the ballot papers be recounted in 23% of polling units observed.
Observers reported incidents of violence, harassment or intimidation during counting in 8% of polling units observed.
Results Process
In 21% of polling units observed, INEC officials reported that an anomaly existed for the results as tabulated at the polling unit.
In 19% of polling units observed, INEC officials reported that the results tabulated at the polling unit were null and void. In accordance with INEC’s Approved Guidelines and Regulations for the Conduct of 2015 General Elections, results are declared null and void when an election is not held or cancelled or whereover-voting has taken place (sections 28 and 31).
In 13% of polling units observed, the official results for the entire polling unit were not posted for the public to see.
Proper accreditation procedures were not followed in many polling units. TMG observers reported that in 42% of polling units observed, individuals were permitted to vote if the card reader could not read their PVCs. In 11% of polling units observed, significant numbers of individuals – 26 or more – were permitted to vote although the card reader could not read their PVCs.
In 19% of polling units observed, 26 or more individuals were accredited to vote while voting was ongoing. According to INEC’s Approved Guidelines and Regulations for the Conduct of 2015 General Elections, accreditation should be declared closed before voting commences (sections 14a and 16a).
Abnormally high rates of results in polling units were declared null and void by poll officials. In 19% of polling units observed, INEC officials reported that the results tabulated at the polling unit were null and void.
In accordance with INEC’s Approved Guidelines and Regulations for the Conduct of 2015 General Elections, results are declared null and void when an election is not held or cancelled or where over-voting has taken place (sections 28 and 31).
The above findings suggest that the gubernatorial election in Bayelsa was characterized by serious irregularities throughout the process, which call into question the credibility of the election. TMG calls on INEC to adhere to its Approved Guidelines and Regulations for the Conduct of 2015 General Elections to ensure the credibility of the electoral process.
