A CSO, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), has called on Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) to release results of the local government elections conducted on Saturday across the state without further delay.
This is contained in a statement issued by the organisation’s Executive Director, Mr Idris Abdul, and made available to newsmen on Monday in Lokoja.
CHRCR said it observed that the electoral process was conducted in a very peaceful and orderly manner, calling for its sustenance.
It noted that voting took place in many polling units despite the late arrival of materials and personnel in some local government areas.
“The statement pointed out a worrisome development during the election where all the PUs (polling units) it visited failed to comply with the guidelines providing for the display of voter register.
“While we noticed the peaceful campaign by political parties and distributions of election materials on Oct. 18, we are, however, worried about the absence of electoral materials and officials, even the security personnel and political party agents in many PUs visited.
“We also noticed that there was no complaint by SIEC of not having the list of registered voters. So, what was responsible for non-display of the list of registered voters at the polling units where prospective voters are expected to cast their votes?
“We also noticed that there were no posters displayed at the various polling units as ii the standard practice in elections in Nigeria,” the organisation said.
It expressed worries that despite the production and distributions of electoral materials by SIEC, deployment of personnel to various polling units as claimed by SIEC leadership, winners were declared without facts and figures at various LGs and sent to the headquarters.
This, the NGO said, was approved and released to the public through the media around 11:00 p.m. on the day the elections were conducted.
“It has become a norm or practice that SIEC will conduct elections without giving us figures of what each declared winners and other contestants scored at various PUs.
“This act is condemnable and we condemn it in totality. How did SIEC arrive at the winners that it announced to the public?” it querried.
CHRCR, therefore, called on the commission to diligently review the election and its mandate on electoral process, identify the lessons learnt and make amends, where necessary. (NAN)
