By David Lawani
Since the declaration of the Anambra Governorship election as inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), CLEEN Foundation has urged that there is a need for INEC to improve on logistics and operational challenges associated with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to deliver more transparent and credible elections.
The foundation gave this observation on Monday in its post-election statement on the 2021 Anambra Governorship election and the conduct of Security Personnel deployed on election duty, noting that the election was visibly marked with logistics and operational challenges with regards to the distribution of election materials and late arrival of INEC officials across most of the polling units.
It stated that these challenges led to the late opening of the polls in some polling units, the extension of the polls from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm and the subsequent disenfranchisement of some electorates due to nonavailability of election materials and INEC Officials.
In the statement signed by the Acting Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation, Ruth Olofin, it recommended that INEC should conduct more voter awareness of the BVAS machine, stressing that there were instances in some polling units that the device was mistaken with the defunct Smart Card Reader.
It also advised that “INEC result portal should be improved for more transparency and accountability through automation of sum of votes received by political parties at the polling units; INEC should prosecute electoral offenders to serve as a deterrent to others;
“INEC should provide enough sensitive materials such as Braille for voters with visual impairment; The Commission should train and retrain electoral officers and ad-hoc staff to enable them to meet with the changing needs of the electorates in Nigeria”.
On the need for future elections given the persistent voter apathy which is fast becoming a peculiar pattern with the state, CLEEN also charged INEC to embark on high-level dialogues with key stakeholders including traditional and religious leaders to encourage the electorate to come out en masse to cast their votes.
For the Security Agencies, the Foundation called on the security agencies deployed for election duty to arrest and investigate all those involved in vote-buying in different parts of the state for prosecution.
They also call on politicians and political parties to maintain peace and be generous in victory and work with all Anambra citizens including those in the opposition parties to improve the governance of the state.
NAPTIP, stakeholders to enhance protection of trafficking victims
CLEEN Foundation however charged the electorates in Ihiala LGA to turnout en-mass to exercise their franchise in the supplementary election to hold tomorrow the 9th of November, 2021, adding that they should exercise patience whenever INEC has challenges with technology and internet connection, and also remain calm throughout the process and to the formal declaration of the winner of the election.
For the media, it warned them to desist from the production of sensational headlines and hate speeches that can contribute to increased tension before, during, and after elections.
It also encouraged them to verify and fact-check all information received before releasing to the public and to also remain professional, neutral and non-partisan in the discharge of their duties.
