A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Yiaga Africa, on Thursday identified eight Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Edo State as flashpoints for violence in the Saturday, September 21, governorship election in the state.
The group therefore urged security agencies to ensure adequate deployment of personnel to cover all these 18 LGAs.
The group listed the councils as Ikpoba/Okha, Oredo, Egor, Ovia South-West, Ovia North-East, Esan South-East, Etsako West, and Etsako East Local Government Areas of the state.
Disclosing this at a pre-election press conference held in Benin City on the Edo 2024 governorship election, Yoaga noted that the issues of vote buying must be addressed by ensuring vote buyers and sellers were not only arrested but also prosecuted as deterrents to others.
The Chairman of the 2024 Edo Election Mission for Yiaga Africa, Dr Aisha Abdulllahi, who addressed the press conference in the company of the Executive Director, Yiaga, Samson Itodo, and other election stakeholders, however, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) preparedness for the election, just as he urged all parties and candidates to honour the commitments to the Peace Accord.
In a text read before newsmen by Dr Aisha Abdulllahi with the theme A Barometer for Measuring Commitment to Electoral Integrity,” the group notes the tense and volatile political climate for the election.
“The campaign period was a signpost with strongarm tactics and violence. The activities of cult groups and political thugs intensified amidst employing violence and intimidation to suppress specific units and LGAs.
“Additionally, armed groups and political thugs may disrupt INEC’s deployment of elections. Yiaga Africa has identified eight (8) LGAs as hotspots for violence. They include Ikpoba Okha, Oredo, Egor, Ovia South West, Ovia North East, Esan South East, Etsako West, and Etsako East. The volatile security environment in these LGAs necessitates a strategic and neutral deployment of security forces.
On voting buying, the group noted, “Yiaga Africa observed multiple instances of voter inducement during the pre-election campaign period in Edo State. Political parties and politicians continue to distribute cash, gifts, and food items to entice voters.
“These practices of voter inducement undermine the integrity of the electoral process, as they can distort the free will of the electorate and compromise the Democratic principle of free and fair elections.
“Yiaga Africa is concerned that this practice may extend to election day, turning the polling units to the epicentre of vote buying.” The group stated.
Yiaga further added, “While the high rate of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) collection indicates a willingness among the electorate to participate, several factors may contribute to continued low turnout.
“Concerns over political violence, economic hardship, and a deep-seated lack of confidence in the electoral process could deter voters from voting, “it warned.
ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNEÂ
and then