By Abubakar Yunusa
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (NCSSR), says it observed “widespread instances of blatant vote buying and selling across several polling units” in the ongoing Edo State Governorship election.
“Situation Room observers reported widespread instances of blatant vote buying and selling across several polling units, despite the huge presence of security personnel,” the group said in a statement co-signed by Yunusa Z. Ya’u, Mimidoo Achakpa and Franklin Oloniju.
The group said the price of votes ranged from N5,000 t0 N10,000 and in some cases, food items like bread were handed to the electorate.
“The price of votes ranged from ₦5,000 to ₦10,000 per voter in several locations, including PU08 and 09 Ward 2, Owan-East LGA; PU 02 Ward 2, Etsako-West LGA; and several polling units in Egor, Oredo and Owan-West LGAs.
“In some cases, voters were also induced with food items such as bread,” the group said.
The group, however, acknowledged the arrest of the alleged two vote traders in George Idah Primary School, Ward 2, Oredo Local Government Area.
The Situation Room commended the peaceful conduct of voters and urged them to remain calm throughout the process.
The Situation Room is made up of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) including Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), CLEEN Foundation, Action Aid Nigeria, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), YIAGA Africa, are TAF Africa.
Others are Emma Ezeazu Centre for Good Governance and Accountability (formerly Alliance for Credible Elections, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Kimpact Development Initiative, Democratic Action Group (DAG), Women’s Rights to Education Programme, Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), DIG Ebonyi, New Initiative for Social Development (NISD), Life And Peace Development Organization (LAPDO), Rural Youth Initiative, Challenged Parenthood Initiative (CPI), Centre for Health and Development in Africa (CHEDA) and Josemaria Escriva Foundation.