Observation group warns of ‘suppressed voter participation’ as political actors deploy money, food to induce voters
Yiaga Africa, a prominent election observation group, has raised serious red flags over Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, warning that vote buying, hate speech, violence, and thuggery could undermine the credibility of the exercise.
Speaking at a press briefing in Osogbo on Thursday, Mrs Asmau Sani Maikudi, a member of the group’s Watching the Votes initiative, expressed deep concern over pre-election violence and its potential to suppress voter turnout on election day.
‘Free, Fair, Peaceful Election—But Threats Loom’
“We expect a free, fair, transparent and peaceful election,” Maikudi stated, but quickly added a stern condemnation of hate speech and thuggery by some political actors.
“We condemn hate speech by some political actors. We call on security agencies to nip this in the bud,” she declared.
Vote Buying: ‘A Threat to the Election’
The observer group raised particular alarm over voter inducement, revealing that they had received credible reports of political actors distributing food items and money to sway voters.
“This poses a threat to the election,” Maikudi warned, underscoring the corrosive impact of financial manipulation on electoral integrity.
INEC Under Pressure
Turning to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Maikudi urged the electoral body to address technical challenges that could affect the deployment of sensitive electoral materials and resolve any other issues that could hinder the peaceful conduct of the election.
Security Agencies Put on Notice
Maikudi called on security agencies to remain neutral and professional throughout the electoral process, emphasizing that their conduct would be closely watched.
332 Observers Deployed
In a show of robust monitoring, Yiaga Africa disclosed that it would deploy 332 observers across all 30 local government areas of the state to track the election in real-time.
