Kogi Guber polls: Observer groups score INEC high, says few skirmishes not enough reason to cancel election' »

Losers advised to go to tribunal, rather than inciting the public…

Accredited observers groups for the November 16th Gubernatorial and Kogi West Senatorial re-run election held on the 16th of November, 2019 have rated the performance and process of the election high and an improvement on the last general election.

The group made the declaration during the presentation of its preliminary report on the conduct of the election over the weekend.

The group said election materials deployments, commencement time, performance of electoral gadgets and collation of results happened as required by law and all known conventions were strictly obeyed.

The various observers group which granted a joint press conference to present their position however said there were pockets of skirmishes and ballot snatching in less than five percent area of the state, they condemn such act of desperation and undemocratic tendency, but however affirmed that such few cases of election disruption are not enough reasons to call for outright cancellation of election.

The various civil society accredited observers maintained that they sent over five hundred accredited observers to the two hundred and thirty nine wards and the twenty one Local Government Areas of Kogi State and the report submitted shows significant improvement in the conduct and credibility of elections.

Speaking on behalf of the group and leader of the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, Kalu Orji and Mr Olaniyan Mathew of Youth Education for Electoral Development, said the group is satisfied with the process, they both listed measures adopted to arrive at the report.

Mr Olaniyan said that Nigerians must begin to separate personal interest and speak the truth rather than politicizing every action during election, he said candidates and stakeholders commended the process of the election when talking to press at the point of voting but would come back to condemn same when election does not eventually go their way. He said this trend of condemning process when it does not favour premeditated interest is not the best for our democracy.

Mr Orji Kalu on his part said there was no form of violence in the whole of Kogi Central, more than eighty percent of Kogi West and same for Kogi East, he said skirmishes were noticed during coalition in Lokoja, Kabba/Bunu, Ijumu and a few other places, saying those cases in all honesty are not substantial enough to cancel the entire state.

“I have listened to the argument of some development partners that asked for the cancellation of election and I can sufficiently say that their argument lacks substance, does not respect any atom of our law and a hasty recommendation that have no basis in constitutional democracy. I can sympathise with the CSO group for being political in their accessment, we wish to on this note encourage those who feel dissatisfied to exercise their right through litigation” Mr Kalu said.

More than eight INEC accredited observers were part of the joint press conference which included; Global Development Centre for Rescue mission, African Initiatives for Development and others.