By Abubakar Yunus
The civil society organization Yiaga Africa has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the voting time in Imo and Bayelsa states, where the voting commenced late, ensuring voters have an equitable opportunity to cast their votes.
Yiaga Africa also encourages voters to remain patient and peaceful throughout the voting and counting process.
The recommendation is outlined in a preliminary statement signed by the Yiaga WTV working group, Dr. Asmau Maikudi, and Director of Programs Cynthia Mbamalu in Abuja on Saturday.
According to the statement, “We call on INEC to suspend elections in polling units/LGAs with reported incidents of pre-filled result forms. The commission should also arrest, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for this electoral offense.
We urged INEC to provide an update on when voters in locations where elections are yet to commence will vote, especially in polling units affected by the late arrival of polling officials or materials destroyed due to the boat mishap in Southern Ijaw and those carted away during the abduction of INEC SPO in Sagbama LGA.
“Additionally, clarification is sought on the location where result sheets were pre-filled before voting in Ogori Mangogo and Okehi LGAs in Kogi State, respectively.
“We called on INEC and security agencies to uphold the transparency of the results collation process by complying with guidelines on results management and ensuring accredited election observers, media, and party agents are present at all levels of result collation”.
Furthermore, Yiaga Africa also calld on INEC to cancel elections in polling units where manual accreditation was recorded.
