Our reporter
In a statement shared with Uptown Press on Saturday, Yiaga Africa, a leading civil society organization in Nigeria, provided insights into the voter turnout and transparency of the 2024 Ondo State Governorship Election.
The election, held on 16 November 2024, witnessed Yiaga Africa deploying its innovative Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) methodology to ensure accurate and impartial observation of the voting process.
The organisation stationed 300 observers at a representative random sample of polling units across Ondo State’s 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and deployed 24 roving observers.
This approach enabled Yiaga Africa to collect credible data, ensuring its findings could independently verify whether the official results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reflected the actual votes cast.
“Through the Watching the Vote (WTV) project, Yiaga Africa aims to provide Nigerian citizens, political candidates, political parties, civil society, and INEC with independent, data-driven information on the election’s credibility,” the organization said. The WTV initiative is guided by the principle of being “Driven by Data – For All Nigerians – Beholden to None.”
Preliminary data from the PRVT observation revealed a voter turnout estimate of 24.8% to 27.6%, underscoring a significant level of electoral apathy. Yiaga Africa noted that if INEC’s official turnout figures align with this range, it would affirm that the numbers accurately reflect participation at the polling units.
While the results collation process is on-going, Yiaga Africa urged INEC to uphold transparency and adhere strictly to collation guidelines. The organisation also called on security agencies to maintain professionalism and neutrality while safeguarding the process.
“We encourage all political parties, stakeholders, and citizens to remain calm and peaceful as INEC finalizes the collation and announcement of results,” the statement read.
Yiaga Africa emphasised that its findings on the election results would be made public only after INEC’s official announcement, in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
As stakeholders await the official declaration, Yiaga Africa’s commitment to fostering electoral integrity remains steadfast, reflecting its dedication to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.
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