INEC observers hail poll, group blames card reader hitches

The coalition of Independent National Electoral Commission accredited Civil Society Domestic Election Observers, has adjudged the September 19 governorship election in Edo State free, fair, credible and transparent.

Spokesman for the Group, Victor Kalu, in Benin on Monday said INEC, “meticulously followed its timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of Edo State Governorship election 2020 to conclusion”.

He said, “We noted with satisfaction that INEC was resolute, prepared and committed to conducting a credible fee-and-fair governorship election in Edo State by providing a level-playing ground for all the participated political parties and for ensuring timely and even distribution of election materials across the polling units in the in the state for timely commencement of the election.”

The group expressed happiness that the perceived tension and fear of violence during the poll did not materialize, praising the law enforcement agents for being duty conscious and for performing their jobs dispassionately.

Meanwhile, the Intercontinental Leadership Initiative, faulted the integrity of the poll.

The Country Head of the organization, Stafford Bisong, at a press conference in Benin on Monday said he had his officials across the 18 local government area of Edo State during the election, and that non-functional card readers used for the poll across the state, raised integrity issue about the poll.

The initiative also cited the non-display of voters register five days before the election as prescribed by the Electoral Act as one of the anomalies observed during the election.

Bisong said, “We discovered a lot of discrepancies on the field during election and we concluded that there is more to desire in our electoral voting procedure.

“Both sensitive and non-sensitive materials arrived relatively late in 80 percent of the polling units, prominent in Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha and Egor.

“Voting commenced around 1.30 pm in some parts of these polling units,” he added.