The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has expressed concern over likely electoral violence, vote-buying, and spread of fake news ahead during the coming Edo guber election.
CDD said trends of claims and counterclaims of victory, delivering polling unit directive given to political party agents are the recipe for violence as they are likely to cause partisan clashes during the election.
The organisation disclosed this during a press conference on the pre-election analysis report on Thursday in Abuja.
“CDD notes with concern the recalcitrance of political actors and their surrogates who continue to instruct their die-hard supporters to ensure 100 per cent victory at all cost in their respective polling units. Observers report that party thugs are being deployed to local governments to “deliver” votes and there is a likelihood of a breakdown of the peace.
“The hotspots of possible violence identified by CDD include Etsako West, Etsako East, Etsako Central, Owan West and Akoko-Edo in Edo North Senatorial district. In Edo South, Oredo, Orhionmwon, Egor, Ovia North East, and Ikpoba-Okha LGAs have shown such early warning signs. While in Edo Central Senatorial district, Esan Central, Esan North East and Esan West,” Adele Jinadu, the Chair, CDD Election Analysis Centre said.
According to the CDD director, Idayat Hassana, the spread of fake news on social media pertaining to the election is another crucial factor.
He stated that APC and PDP both have media teams dedicated to maximizing their online presence all over social media.
“Both the APC and PDP in Edo state have dedicated media teams with clearly defined structures designed to maximise their online presence. While the PDP is using targeted and sponsored messages on both Instagram and Twitter, the APC is supporting a structured team of up to 300 canvassers spread across Facebook, Twitter, Nairaland and WhatsApp groups,” Hassan noted.
CDD also noted that there may be a need for the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the voting hours in respect to adherence to COVID-19 protocols.
“CDD will like to point out that given the extra health precautions and social distancing policy to be adopted during polling, voting may take longer than normal. We hereby call on the Commission to prepare to provide for extended polling hours.
“CDD observers report an increase in the deployment of security operatives across Edo State. The role of security in the election remains to deter trouble makers, protect election materials and ensure the space is safe for poll officials, voters and election observers.
“CDD calls on the security operatives deployed in Edo State not to engage in any acts, which would intimidate or scare voters away from exercising their democratic right to vote. CDD similarly calls on the officers of the police and sister security agencies deployed to the State to ensure they do not descend into the arena of partisanship,” the organisation explained.
CDD also noted that vote-buying may determine the outcome of the election according to interviews with some voters in the state.
“CDD observers reported an emerging trend in the pattern of vote-buying wherein it is the voters who are now searching for the highest bidder among the political camps to sell their vote to. A number of voters interviewed insisted that the only thing, which would make them vote, is if a contestant agrees to pay an amount for the vote.
“Beyond individual voters searching for willing buyers to sell their votes to, it is similarly disturbing, as confirmed by our observers that barely three days to the Edo State governorship election, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) under the Minister of State for Labour and Employment decided to empower 2,000 women in the State,” the organization said.
