#NigeriaElection: YIAGA List States Notorious For Vote-Buying

Adamawa, Borno,Nasarawa, Kwara, Oyo, Rivers, Kaduna and Zamfara States have been listed by a civil organization, YIAGA AFRICA, for being among states that are notorious for vote-buying during the course of the 2019 election.

In a press conference on the conduct of the governorship, state houses of assembly and Area Council elections in Abuja, the Chairman of the Watching The Vote Working(WTV) Group of YIAGA AFRICA, Dr Hussaini Abdu, said the group received a total of 124 confirmed incidents reports from 628 observers it sent to the field during the election.

“WTV observers reported cases of voter inducement and vote buying across the states.

“Specifically, YIAGA AFRICA received the most report of voter inducement and vote buying in Adamawa, Borno, Nasarawa, Kwara, Oyo, Rivers, Kaduna and Zamfara States. ‘’

He said others were in Ado LGA in Benue State, Ethiope East, Ughelli south and Ughelli North LGAs in Delta State, Asari-Toru, Eleme, Gokana, Opobo/Nekoro and Oyigbo LGAs of Rivers State.

He named other places to include Silame and Yabo LGAs of Sokoto State, Tsafe LGA in Zamfara State, and in Ohaozara LGA collation center in Ebonyi State.

Abdu said YIAGA AFRICA also noted incidence of military personnel chasing away observers and some party agents in some collation centres.

He said that WTV observers reported cases where collation officers declined to collate results at the LGA level or failed to announce results at the LGA levels in Lagos, Ebonyi, Oyo and Katsina.

He condemned the attack on journalists and civil society actors during the 2019 elections as journalists and observers were intimidated, abducted and assaulted.