Yiaga Africa has said that it will provide accurate information on the quality of the election day process and ascertain if the official results announced by INEC reflects the total votes cast.
To this effect, Yiaga Africa is determined that if the announced results have been manipulated and do not match the polling units’ results, Yiaga Africa will expose it. If the official result announced reflects the polling unit’s votes, Yiaga Africa would confirm it.
Immediately after INEC announces the official results for the governorship election, Yiaga Africa will hold its own press conference and issue its election results verification statement.
Verification of the election results will be based on the INEC official results as announced by-poll officials at the Watching The Vote, (WTV) sampled polling units.
These are contained in a statement from the pre-election press briefing jointly signed by Dr. Aisha Abdullahi, Chair, Yiaga Africa Watching the Vote– 2020 Edo Election Observation Mission and
Samson Itodo, Executive Director Yiaga Africa Watching the Vote.
Yiaga Africa is one of Nigeria’s largest non-partisan and independent movements of citizens observers committed to promoting electoral integrity.
Yiaga Africa WTV has said it will be providing systematic, accurate, and timely information on the election day process.
The statement said: “On Saturday, September 19, 2020, at 10 pm, Yiaga Africa will release its estimated projections based on its preliminary data. On Sunday, September 20, 2020, at Home Ville Hotel, Benin, Yiaga Africa, will share its preliminary WTV findings on the conduct of setup, accreditation, voting, and counting.
“Clearly, the stakes are high in the September 19 governorship election as typified by the spate of pre-election violence and the level of desperation on the part of political actors to not only delegitimize the process but ensure they secure political power at all cost.
“Yiaga Africa is ready to observe the elections on behalf of the people of Edo and Nigerians to ensure that people’s votes are accurately counted.
“We call on all Edo people, the parties and candidates, INEC, and the security forces to play their parts to ensure a peaceful, credible, and conclusive process.”
Yiaga Africa therefore commended the peace building initiatives led by the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, and the National Peace Committee, headed by the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
