2019: Our parallel vote tabulation matched INEC’s official presidential results —YIAGA Africa

The Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement (YIAGA Africa), on Friday, presented a report of its observations of the 2019 General Elections.

It said that the presidential election result as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was consistent with its parallel vote tabulation results estimates.

“In other words, the results reflect the votes cast at the polling units.

“Similarly, the INEC official turnout rate and rejected ballots figure were consistent with YIAGA AFRICA estimated to turn out rate and rejected ballots based on reports from 1,491 98.4 per cent of sampled polling units,” it said.

The Chairman of the Board of YIAGA-Africa, Hussaini Abdu, made this statement while presenting the report before officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other key stakeholders.

He, however, highlighted some of the shortcomings witnessed during the elections and made some recommendations.

“YIAGA AFRICA noted some lapses in the design, communication and lack of uniformity in the implementation of the guidelines issued by the electoral commission.

“Election results management remains the weakest link in Nigeria’s electoral process,” the group said on Twitter.

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It also noted “a budding trend of voter intimidation and assault against unsuspecting individuals, press and civil society during elections”.

“YIAGA AFRICA received verified critical incidents reports of @OfficialAPCNg and @OfficialPDPNig agents or supporters attacking observers, polling staff or voters; snatching ballot boxes; and destroying election materials.

“Political party primaries is not a party affair but a National affair because Nigerians are restricted to the options provided by political parties thus Nigerians should be interested in the credibility of party primaries,” the group further stated.

YIAGA advised that if Nigeria’s democracy must move forward, party leaders must ensure that they encourage and model peaceful engagement with the electoral process and urge their supporters to act in accordance with the electoral guidelines and the law.

it recommended that INEC investigate and discipline all permanent and ad-hoc staff alleged to have been involved in any malpractice or fraud during and after the elections.

The group also promised to continue to engage with INEC and other stakeholders to ensure the implementation of recommendations for the 2019 elections.

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