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CLEEN FOUNDATION: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ON THE CONDUCT OF SECURITY PERSONNEL ON ELECTION DUTY DURING THE 2020 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION IN EDO STATE

CLEEN FOUNDATION: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ON THE CONDUCT OF SECURITY PERSONNEL ON ELECTION DUTY DURING THE 2020 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION IN EDO STATE

For Immediate Release

Saturday 19th September 2020
Abuja – Nigeria
4:00 pm

CLEEN FOUNDATION: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ON THE
CONDUCT OF SECURITY PERSONNEL ON ELECTION DUTY DURING THE 2020 GOVERNORSHIP
ELECTION IN EDO STATE

1.0 Introduction

The Election Security Support Centre (ESSC) of
CLEEN Foundation, in collaboration with the Police Service Commission (PSC) is
monitoring the conduct of security agencies deployed for the Edo State
Governorship election holding today Saturday 19th 2020.

  2.0 Methodology

The ESSC tracked security related developments
across the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo states. This was done through 50 accredited
observers trained by CLEEN Foundation and deployed across the 18 Local
Government Areas in the state. In addition, CLEEN Foundation deployed a Cleen Mobile,
a Citizen Observer App that allows citizens to report security issues in their
polling units. Other information relating to the election security were equally
tracked from the CLEEN Foundation’s social media platforms. The following
issues are highlighted as part of our preliminary report.

3.0
Opening of Polling Units


Reports across the Local Government Areas in Edo
state indicate that there was early and high voter turnout for the polls across
the state. Furthermore, it was observed in some of the polling units that
security personnel, electoral officers and election materials did not arrive at
the polling units as at 8:30 am. For instance, CLEEN Foundation observers noted
that election materials arrived late at units 016 to 039, Ward
07 in Ikpoba Okha which led to the delay to commencement of the elections in the
unit.

4.0 Security Related Observations

4.1. Early Arrival of Security Personnel:
CLEEN Foundation observed that 86% of security personnel arrived at the polling
units across Edo state before 8:00am, while  11% arrived between 8:00am – 8:59am; and 3%
arrived 9:00am or later.

   4.2  Possession
of Firearms at the Polling Unit
: CLEEN Foundation observed 83% of the
polling units across the country were protected by unarmed security personnel.
However, there were reports of firearm possession in 17% of the polling units.

  4.3   Adequacy of Security personnel at the Polling Units: CLEEN observed
that on the aggregate, 83% of the polling units had three or more security
personnel,11% noted two security personnel on ground.

4.4    Identification of Security Personnel: CLEEN observed that 96% of the
security personnel were wearing easily identifiable name tags. However, 3% of
the security personnel were not wearing identifiable name tags, while the
status of 1% in relation to wearing of   identifiable nametags were unknown.

  4.5  Approachability of Security Personnel: Report from our observes
shows that 94% of the security personnel at the polling units were
approachable. 3% were observed to be somewhat approachable while 3% of security
personnel were not approachable by their disposition.

  4.6. Impartiality of Security Personnel at the Polling Unit: Statistics
available to CLEEN Foundation shows that 83% of security personnel were
impartial while 17% of the security agents were some-what partial. For instance,
at Uwa Primary School, Ward 10, PU 21 (Oredo Local Government
Area), party and security agents were observed monitoring electorates votes in
the cubicle disregarding the secrecy of the balloting system.

   4.7. Feeling of Safety at
the Polling unit
: CLEEN observed that 78% of the polling units were safe
and secure while 22% were observed to be somewhat safe and secure.

  5.0 
General Observations

  5.1.
Misplacement of Election Result Sheet
: CLEEN Foundation observed that  at Evbiose
primary school, Sagbongida Ora,  Owan West,
Local Government Area (Ward 4, unit 5&6,), INEC result sheet distributed to
the ward was meant for another ward in the Local Government area and this led
to the refusal of the voters to vote.
  5.2.
Deployment of INEC Officials
: CLEEN
observed the early arrival and setting up of polling units before 8.00am in
most Local Government Areas of the state where our observers were stationed. However,
in Ekae Primary School, (Ward 2, Unit 10), Oredo Local Government Area, our
observers reported that INEC Officials and voting materials had not arrived as
at 10.30 am.

5.3. Welfare of INEC Adhoc Officials: At Ivbiyeneva Primary School, Ikpoba Okha
Local Government Area (PU  1-20, ward 5),
CLEEN observed the issue of poor welfare of Corps members as they protested nonpayment
of their stipends and threatened not to commence electoral process until they
are paid.

5.4. COVID 19 Protocols: CLEEN Foundation observed that most
electorates apart from the wearing of facemasks, did not comply to all the
non-pharmaceutical measures. In most polling units monitored, it was observed
that there was no physical distancing and absence of sanitizers. For instance,
in Uwa Primary School, (Unit 1, Ward 10), voters were observed wearing
facemasks bearing “Edo state Government Logo- Edo cares “. There was no social
distancing amongst voters in the unit. Furthermore, in ward 4, (unit 19) at
Emokpae Primary School, voters did not observe the physical distancing protocol.  At Uneme Osu Primary School (Unit 11, ward
9), in Akoko Edo Local Government Area, rowdiness was observed, and physical
distancing protocol was not adhered to.

  5.5.Vote
Trading
: CLEEN Foundation observe
disturbing incidents of vote trading across the state especially  in  Egor,
Ovia South West, and Oredo Local Government Areas. For instance, In Oredo
Local Government Area, Observers noted cases of vote trading at Igbesanwen
Primary School, Unit 1, ward 9. Furthermore, there were reported incidents of inducement
of voters within the range of N2,000 to N5,000 from the party agents of the two
leading political parties.  At Oza Primary
School, voters were induced within the range of N1,000 to N5,000 by agents of
the two leading political parties. Furthermore, at Agbado Primary School, Ward
12, Oredo Local Government Area, there was mass inducement of voters by party agents.
In Egor Local Government Area, at Edaiken Primary School (Unit 2, Ward 8) party
agents of the two major political parties were seen inducing voters at all the
polling points with the sum of N5,000. Also in Ward 9, Okhoro, there were
massive inducement of voters with an average price of N5,000.

In Ovia Southwest, (Ward
2, Unit 8), our observers at Obaretin Okpon Primary School, reported that there
were financial inducements by party agents of about N500 to N700 to voters at
that unit. At Olele Junction, (unit 9, ward 1, Etsako West Local Government
Area), Police Officers were observed collaborating with party agents and INEC
personnel on inducing voters. In Igueben local Government Area, political party
agents were inducing voters monetarily at Usata Primary School, unit 3, ward 4.
At Obe primary school, Sagbongida Ora, Owan West Local Government Area (Ward 4,
Unit 7), CLEEN observers noted vote trading between voters and party agents. At
Army
Children School, ward 6, Ovia North East, our observers reported incident of voter’s
impersonation. At Ujemen Primary School, ward 005, Ekpoma, Esan West Local
Government Area, Party agents from the two leading political parties were
observed inducing voters within the range of N1,000 to N2,000

At Etsako West, (ward 4, unit 6, &ward 5, unit
3) our observers noted massive inducement of the voters by party agents, while
at Akoko Edo LGA, party agents were observed inducing voters within the range
of N3,000 to N5,000.

5.6. Other Technical, operational & Administrative Issues

CLEEN Foundation observed that in
Oredo Local Government Area, most party agents lacked proper identification. 

Furthermore, CLEEN Foundation observed issues with
the functionality of the smart card readers in some polling units. For
instance, at Ekae primary school (Ward 2, unit 10,) Oredo Local Government Area,
some voters could not exercise their franchise because the smart card readers were
not displaying their names. In Eguare Primary School, (Igueben Local Government
Area), Ward 9, smart card readers were faulty, this led to delay in the
commencement of the voting process.

6.0 Conclusion

CLEEN Foundation will
continue to observe the elections and later issue her post-election statement
to detail more on the overall conduct of the security personnel on election
duty. 

Thank you and may God
bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Signed:

Benson Olugbuo, PhD
Executive Director
CLEEN Foundation

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