Ondo Guber Poll: Yiaga Africa tasks INEC, security agencies on integrity, impartiality

The election monitoring group, Yiaga Africa, has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure it passes the “integrity test” to which it would be subjected on Saturday during the gubernatorial election in Ondo State.
The organisation also charged all security agencies to carry out their legitimate duties during the election without being partial to any political party.
Speaking on the expectations of the people from INEC, Ezenwa Nwagwu, chair for the 2024 Ondo Election Mission, Yiaga Africa, urged INEC to ensure election materials arrive early at the polling units.
“We urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enhance coordination and communication with the transport companies and unions that provide logistics support.
“It is essential to ensure the timely delivery of materials to the Registration Area Centres (RACs) and to facilitate the early deployment of materials and personnel to polling units on election day.
“This approach will help to address the issue of late commencement of polls that has been observed in previous elections,” he said on Thursday in Akure.
Mr Nwagwu urged the security agencies to arrest anyone caught engaging in vote-buying and selling for prosecution to stamp out the menace.
He noted that vote-buying and selling by politicians has greatly undermined the election process in the country.
“We encourage security agencies to strictly enforce laws and regulations against voter inducement, vote-buying, ballot box snatching and other electoral malpractices. Arrest and prosecute individuals and groups found engaging in illegal activities,” he said.
Mr Nwagwu also condemned violent attacks in some towns in the Northern Senatorial District and Idanre Local Government Area in the Central Senatorial District of the state.
He encouraged the electorate to go out and vote to elect their governor without fear, urging them to shun inducement of any sort.
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