Edo guber results show irregularities — Group

Civic Hive, a CivicTech organisation, has expressed serious concerns over the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) handling of the recent Edo State governorship election. The organisation criticised INEC for permitting irregularities to mar the election process and demanded a review and accountability for those involved.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, was declared the winner of the September 21, 2024 election, receiving 291,667 votes compared to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes.

During a presentation of their findings at Civic Hive’s Lagos office, the organisation highlighted significant issues such as low voter turnout, over-voting, and discrepancies in the results reported by INEC compared to the IREV portal. Despite an increase in registered voters from the 2023 General Election, only 26% participated, with 694,132 out of 2,610,730 registered voters casting their ballots.

Joseph Amenaghawon, Team Lead at Civic Hive, questioned INEC’s voter mobilisation strategies and urged for new approaches to combat voter apathy. The report revealed alarming electoral irregularities, including over-voting in areas like Etsako East and Oredo, where the number of valid votes reported by INEC did not align with IREV data.

Civic Hive discovered a 20,364-vote increase for the APC as per INEC, while the PDP’s tally decreased by 12,384 votes. The organisation called for an immediate investigation into these irregularities and the conduct of presiding officers in affected areas.

Looking ahead, Amenaghawon expressed concerns about the implications for the upcoming Ondo State governorship election and the 2027 elections, stating, “The collaboration of results poses a challenge, and we must closely scrutinise the role of presiding officers.”

Civic Hive encouraged INEC to adopt innovative methods for collating and announcing results, emphasising the need for transparency and accountability. The organisation also plans to observe the Ondo State governorship election and contribute to ongoing discussions about electoral reforms with the National Assembly.

In response to questions about the adoption of electronic voting in Nigeria, Temidayo Musa, Programmes and Operations Lead at Civic Hive, asserted that integrity must remain the focus, regardless of whether voting is conducted electronically or on paper.