Group seeks to prevent rigging, deploys observers

AD commends INEC, urges vigilance against rigging
To prevent rigging at the governorship election, an Abuja-based group, the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA), has announced the deployment of its observers.

The group’s consultant, Mr. Paul James, made the disclosure in Akure yesterday at Watch The Vote (WTV) training for media practitioners.

According to him, the YIAGA would use Parallel Votes Tabulation (PVT) methodology to monitor the election.

James explained that 363 well-trained and non-partisan observers would be deployed in the 18 local council areas to monitor the polls.

He added that the group was hoping to achieve the same results that the YIAGA had achieved in the over 60 countries of the world, where it had worked.

The consultant said the observers would include 340 stationary and 23 roaming observers, who would be deployed in 300 sampling polling units to collate data.

Four state coordinating committee members would assist them.

He added that the PVT method would be evidence-based to verify the election processes and their outcomes.

The outcome would only be shared publicly after the original results had been announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He said: “The PVT is driven by data, non-partisan and has no affiliation to any political party and had also been demonstrated in Ghana, Malawi, Madagascar and Zambia.”

The WTV Project Manager, Miss Cynthia Mbamalu, said it was important for the media to partner government for free and fair polls.

“The media remains a critical factor in achieving a peaceful, credible, free and fair election. The random sampling of polling units would be deployed with observers assigned to each, which would send coded messages to the data centres.

Meanwhile, the AD has lauded the INEC for its commitment to ensuring a free and fair election.