By Flowerbudnews
The Actionaid Nigeria, an NGO, has lauded the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) for conducting the Sept. 21 Local Government polls peacefully in Enugu State.
The Actionaid Nigeria, a non-partisan, non-religious and civil society organisation, however, decried some shortfalls in the exercise which include late arrival of electoral materials and personnel among others.
This is contained in statement on the Enugu State Local Government Polls issued and signed by the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Mr Andrew Mamedu.
The statement was a fall out of realtime technologically reported incidents by 120 trained election observers collate by Actionaid Election Situation Room in Enugu during the polls in 1,145 polling units in 260 political wards of the 17 council areas of Enugu State.
Mamedu said that generally, there was late arrival of ENSIEC officials and materials in 50 per cent of the polling units observed across the state.
“For instance, in Ituka polling unit and Awgu council area, ENSIEC officials arrived at 11:11a.m. with no result sheets and only 15 voting sheets instead of 26 voting sheets.
“As at 1p.m., ENSIEC officials arrived in only 50 per cent of the 83 polling units observed across the 17 council areas.
“Voting materials arrived in Ngwo Asaa 003 polling unit by 1p.m. Given this late arrival, voters were not accredited before voting started, constituting a violation of the voting process,” he said.
The country director said that no activity was recorded in 36 per cent of the polling units in the 17 ouncil areas observed, adding that there was no election in the polling units observed in Isi-Uzo council area.
According to him, the polling units remained closed with no ENSIEC official or materials present.
“Some examples of these polling units are Akpu 016 polling unit in Eha Ward 4, Umoke Amasogiji 007 polling unit in Eha Amutu Ward 3 and Amaezeaka Ehaamufu Ward 4,” he said.
Mamedu noted that due to the late opening of polls, insufficient voting materials, inadequate result sheets and poor conduct of political party agents, some voters were discouraged from voting.
“For instance, Independence Layout 024 polling unit recorded minimal turnout, with some recording no voters by 4p.m. A concerning trend emerged regarding adherence to the voting process.
“The accreditation and voting process commenced late and only happened in 60 per cent of the polling units across the 17 council areas observed.
“In 51 per cent of the polling units, voters were not required to present their Permanent Voter Card (PVC) before casting their votes, raising questions about the integrity of the voting process,” he said.
The country director said that security presence was noted in only 70 per cent of polling units observed, adding that polling units like Umuozzi II and Afor Ofufe, reported no security officers; thereby, exposing voters to violence.
Mamedu said that the conduct of political party agents remained poor as it did not conform to the expected threshold, adding that in 79 per cent of the polling units observed, “we noticed attempts of political party agents to interfere with the process”.
“In New Haven Primary School, some party agents were reported to be campaigning for votes and sharing tags with those who agreed to sell their votes. Also, party agents were seen fighting in CPS Amachalla ward, polling unit 001,” he said.
He noted that vote buying was observed in some of the polling units as party agents were reported to be seen giving money to ENSIEC officials and voters.
“This occurrence was seen in about 12 per cent of the polling units in the 17 council areas observed including CPS Amankwo Ndiagu-001 polling unit in Ezeagu council area. This manifested in the form of material and financial inducement,” he said.
He added that as at 4pm, 65 per cent of polling units reported that voting had officially ended, adding that, however, it was only 55 per cent of these polling units that sorting, and collation of votes was able to take place.
It would be recalled that ActionAid Nigeria is a national non-governmental, non-partisan, non-religious, civil society organisation, and an affiliate member of the ActionAid International Federation with presence in 45 countries.
It works in solidarity with people living in poverty and exclusion to achieve social justice, gender equality and poverty eradication towards achieving a just, equitable and sustainable world in which every person enjoys the right to a life of dignity, freedom from poverty and oppression.
