Election monitor slams INEC over Anambra poll
The electoral body failed to raise its game in Anambra state.
Nigeria Civil Society Election Situation Room, an election monitoring team, has slammed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over the conduct of Saturday’s Anambra state governorship election which is yet to be concluded.
The electoral body suspended the final collation of results of the election until Sunday afternoon, following its earlier decision to reschedule the poll in 65 polling units in Obosi, Idemili North local government.
In its final report on the election released Sunday noon, Election Situation Room said INEC had repeated too many common mistakes that the expectation of Anambra election serving as a litmus test for 2015 general election, has not been fully realized.
“It is our overall impression that the conduct of the elections leaves a lot to be desired and reflected the lack of competence on the part of INEC in the conduct of elections,” the group said. “The several failings of past elections identified in previous observer reports seem to have repeated themselves…”
The group, a platform of civil society organizations working on election observation, managed by Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, said INEC has no explanation for late distribution of election materials as observed at several polling units.
“The Situation Room is concerned that INEC is still not able to deal with the perennial challenge of late distribution of election materials and commencement of accreditation and voting.
The group decried the “gross incompetence” of INEC officials charged with distributing election materials.
“This incompetence manifested in the reported mix up of the election materials for areas such as Idemili North LGA…Although INEC has rescheduled elections in a number of polling units in the worst affected areas, such mix up affects the integrity of our electoral process,” it said.
The group also criticized INEC for not deploying election officials in sufficient numbers to some polling units.
“We received reports that in some polling units, election officials were recruited at the election venue and deployed without any form of training,” it said.
It also criticized the commission for the disenfranchising many voters who could not find their names on the approved list.
The group said despite media report suggesting large turnout of voters, the real numbers were far less.
“Although various reports in the media suggest high turnout of voters based on the sometimes large crowds seen milling around some polling units, the actual accredited voters based on our observations fell far short of the numbers of registered voters in the respective polling units,” it said.
It however praised security agents for conducting themselves in a professional and commendable manner. “This is in spite of reports that security officers deployed from outside Anambra State were not adequately provided with food and shelter.”
Nigeria Civil Society Election Situation Room, an election monitoring team, has slammed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over the conduct of Saturday’s Anambra state governorship election which is yet to be concluded.
The electoral body suspended the final collation of results of the election until Sunday afternoon, following its earlier decision to reschedule the poll in 65 polling units in Obosi, Idemili North local government.
In its final report on the election released Sunday noon, Election Situation Room said INEC had repeated too many common mistakes that the expectation of Anambra election serving as a litmus test for 2015 general election, has not been fully realized.
“It is our overall impression that the conduct of the elections leaves a lot to be desired and reflected the lack of competence on the part of INEC in the conduct of elections,” the group said. “The several failings of past elections identified in previous observer reports seem to have repeated themselves…”
The group, a platform of civil society organizations working on election observation, managed by Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, said INEC has no explanation for late distribution of election materials as observed at several polling units.
“The Situation Room is concerned that INEC is still not able to deal with the perennial challenge of late distribution of election materials and commencement of accreditation and voting.
The group decried the “gross incompetence” of INEC officials charged with distributing election materials.
“This incompetence manifested in the reported mix up of the election materials for areas such as Idemili North LGA…Although INEC has rescheduled elections in a number of polling units in the worst affected areas, such mix up affects the integrity of our electoral process,” it said.
The group also criticized INEC for not deploying election officials in sufficient numbers to some polling units.
“We received reports that in some polling units, election officials were recruited at the election venue and deployed without any form of training,” it said.
It also criticized the commission for the disenfranchising many voters who could not find their names on the approved list.
The group said despite media report suggesting large turnout of voters, the real numbers were far less.
“Although various reports in the media suggest high turnout of voters based on the sometimes large crowds seen milling around some polling units, the actual accredited voters based on our observations fell far short of the numbers of registered voters in the respective polling units,” it said.
It however praised security agents for conducting themselves in a professional and commendable manner. “This is in spite of reports that security officers deployed from outside Anambra State were not adequately provided with food and shelter.”
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