Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consistently review results uploaded on its Results Viewing Portal against the announced results at polling locations......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
The Chairman of the CDD-Election Analysis Centre (EAC), Professor Adele Jinadu, made this appeal during the Post-Election Edo gubernatorial post-election press briefing in Abuja on Monday.
The organisation commended security agencies for apprehending individuals involved in vote-buying but emphasized the need for their immediate prosecution.
“INEC should carefully review uploads on iRev against the announced results, and where discrepancies exist, take the necessary remedial actions,” it stated.
The CDD commended the citizens of Edo State for their active participation in the electoral process, saying the electorates demonstrated a commitment to a peaceful and credible election.
“CDD recommends that any controversy or loss of confidence in this regard be resolved transparently and in a timely manner before proceeding with final declarations,” it said.
“This particularly relates to CDD’s observed inconsistencies in Ovia North East, where incidences of blurred results, over-voting, and disparities in result uploads were reported by our observers.”
While stating the challenge posed by heavy rain in parts of the state during the election, the organisation recommended that INEC work closely with NiMET in subsequent elections to ensure adequate preparations for safeguarding paper-based election materials from the rain.
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“The CDD-EAC also recommends the provision of proper shelters, instead of open spaces, for the conduct of future electoral processes.
The centre further recommended that INEC’s crisis communication apparatus should be activated during critical moments to avoid communication conflicts and the potential for harmful public perceptions.
“CDD acknowledged the arrest of individuals for vote-buying and praised the vigilance of security agencies in this regard. The CDD-EAC recommends a speedy and thorough investigation and trial of these cases.
“INEC should also publish clear procedures for the relocation of designated collation centers and other electoral facilities during elections.
“As the process transitions into the post-election phase, we urge all political stakeholders to continue upholding peace, respecting the rule of law, and following due process in resolving post-election disputes. The Electoral Commission must also remain fully responsive to its responsibilities.”
Addressing the challenges posed by disinformation and information manipulation, the CDD emphasised the importance of strengthening fact-checking initiatives.
“These initiatives should now focus on collaborating effectively to counter any post-election misinformation or false narratives that may arise.”