Yiaga Africa, a prominent election monitoring group, has condemned the widespread occurrence of vote buying during the just-concluded Ondo State governorship election.
The election, which took place across 18 local government councils in the state, was marred by the persistent issue of vote buying, which Yiaga Africa claims has become a fixture in Nigeria’s electoral system.
During a press briefing in Abuja, the group presented its midday findings, highlighting instances of vote buying observed by its monitoring teams in several polling units across Ondo.
The group’s Chairman for the 2024 Ondo Election Mission, Ezenwa Nwagwu, strongly criticized the practice, describing it as a significant contributor to electoral corruption and political inequality in the country.
Yiaga Africa noted that despite the challenges, the election started off peacefully and in an orderly manner, reflecting the public’s interest in participating in the democratic process.
The group also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and transport unions for effectively deploying election officials and materials across the state.
However, Yiaga Africa urged INEC to ensure strict adherence to the guidelines for result collation, emphasizing that security agencies must remain impartial and professional throughout the process.
The organization also called on voters to stay calm and patient as the election process unfolded, assuring the public that they would continue to provide updates as the situation developed.
