CSO denounces late night vote in Ede North and Ede South for Osun polls
• Urges investigation to prevent future occurrence • Condemns vote buying
The Northern Patriotic Front (NPF), one of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that monitored and observed the State Governor's election Osun who just ended, criticized the late night voting in Ede South and Ede North Local Councils.
To that end, the group urged the election arbiter to investigate the matter with a view to preventing a future occurrence. It was also noted that security was relaxed in some parts of Ede.
In an 18-page report signed by its administrative secretary, Rasheed Shuaib, a copy of which was submitted to INEC, the group observed that there had been vote buying in some of the polling units visited by its members, urging Nigerians not to leave the fight against vote buying to CSOs and anti-corruption agencies alone.
He also accused security guards of compromising in some of the polling units visited by his members. Regarding the late-night vote, the CSO noted: “According to the election directive, the official closing of voting at polling stations is at 2:30 p.m. In most polling stations visited and as reported by NPF observers, voting ended at various polling stations across the state at 2:30 p.m. pursuant to the Elections Act 2022 (as amended.)
“However, this was not followed in some of the Ede Axis voting units where voting continued until around 9:00 p.m. This is clearly against the provisions of the Election Law. anomaly has also been pointed out by the analysis of some other observer groups in the media.
“The conduct of the elections in Ede South and Ede North should be investigated to help the commission prevent the admission of voters queuing after the stipulated time,” the group said .
The two local government areas where the late vote took place are strongholds of People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Ademola Adeleke, who ultimately won the election.
It will be recalled that Ismail Omipidan, spokesman for Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, had during an interview on Channels Television a day after the election, decried the vote of late evening observed in the two local government areas under reference.
• Urges investigation to prevent future occurrence • Condemns vote buying
The Northern Patriotic Front (NPF), one of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that monitored and observed the State Governor's election Osun who just ended, criticized the late night voting in Ede South and Ede North Local Councils.
To that end, the group urged the election arbiter to investigate the matter with a view to preventing a future occurrence. It was also noted that security was relaxed in some parts of Ede.
In an 18-page report signed by its administrative secretary, Rasheed Shuaib, a copy of which was submitted to INEC, the group observed that there had been vote buying in some of the polling units visited by its members, urging Nigerians not to leave the fight against vote buying to CSOs and anti-corruption agencies alone.
He also accused security guards of compromising in some of the polling units visited by his members. Regarding the late-night vote, the CSO noted: “According to the election directive, the official closing of voting at polling stations is at 2:30 p.m. In most polling stations visited and as reported by NPF observers, voting ended at various polling stations across the state at 2:30 p.m. pursuant to the Elections Act 2022 (as amended.)
“However, this was not followed in some of the Ede Axis voting units where voting continued until around 9:00 p.m. This is clearly against the provisions of the Election Law. anomaly has also been pointed out by the analysis of some other observer groups in the media.
“The conduct of the elections in Ede South and Ede North should be investigated to help the commission prevent the admission of voters queuing after the stipulated time,” the group said .
The two local government areas where the late vote took place are strongholds of People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Ademola Adeleke, who ultimately won the election.
It will be recalled that Ismail Omipidan, spokesman for Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, had during an interview on Channels Television a day after the election, decried the vote of late evening observed in the two local government areas under reference.
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