Edo 2020: We Shall Expose Electoral Fraud in Edo - Yiaga Africa Chair Promises

By Simeon OSAJIE

Yiaga Africa, an Abuja based Civil Society Organisation (CSO), has promised to monitor and expose any electoral fraud that may arise from Saturday, September 19 governoship election as part of efforts to deepen electoral integrity.

In a Pre-election briefing in Benin, the organization board chair, Dr Aisha Abdullahi said that Yiaga Africa would “be providing systematic, accurate and timely information on the election day process.

"Yiaga Africa commenced its pre-election observations from July 2020 with Long Term Observers (LTOs) deployed to the 18 Local Government Areas.

“The LTOs systematically collect information on pre-election environment and monitor electoral activities of stakeholders like INEC, political parties, National Orientation Agency (NOA), civil society groups and others.

“The Pre-election environment revealed violent campaign rhetoric and hate speech, excessive use of force by political parties,” especially the two major political parties “and unhealthy electoral competition.”

"We also promised to provide accurate information on the quality of the election day process and ascertain if the official results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reflects the total vote cast at the poll.

“If the official result announced reflects the polling unit’s votes, Yiaga Africa would confirm it,” it said.

The organization board chair also said,  "Yaiga Africa  WTV 500 Stationary observers, 25 Mobile Observers, and 18 Collation Center Observers were carefully recruited according to established criteria and carefully trained to ensure that they are non-partisan and independent. All Yiaga Africa citizen observers had to sign a pledge of neutrality and were given a code of conduct to which they have to adhere when observing. All Yiaga Africa citizen observers have been accredited by INEC to observe at polling units or collation centers."