Anambra poll: Efficiency, integrity, impartiality tests to shape electoral credibility - Yiaga Africa
By Chinedum Treasure
Yiaga Africa has identified logistics efficiency, procedures integrity and impartiality of security agencies as three critical benchmarks that would shape credibility of the electoral process in the Saturday's governorship election in Anambra state.
Chair of the 2025 Anambra Election Mission, Yiaga Africa, Dr Asmau Maikudi disclosed this on Thursday in Awka at a pre-election press conference ahead the poll.
She noted that the three tests would serve as litmus test for public trust in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and political actors.
According to her, failure to meet the standards could further erode voter confidence and deepen the legitimacy crisis in Nigeria’s democracy
"Drawing from past electoral experiences and recent by-elections, these three tests will serve as the litmus test for public trust in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, and political actors.
"Failure to meet these standards could further erode voter confidence and deepen the legitimacy crisis in Nigeria’s democracy," she said.
Maikudi charged stakeholders involved in the exercise to commit to peaceful, fair, inclusive and credible electoral process.
She vowed the group's readiness to expose any manipulation of the announced results if they did not match the results posted at polling stations.
She however assured that her group would confirm outcome of the announced results that reflected ballots cast at the polling units.
Also speaking, Executive Director, Samson Itodo disclosed that a total of 687 observers drawn from various organizations would be deployed across the State for the election, under the Election Observation Hub.
He listed the Hub to include Yiaga Africa, The Kukah Centre, International Press Centre (IPC), Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), Nigeria Women Trust Fund (NWTF), ElectHER and TAF Africa.
"Yiaga Africa is deploying Watching the Vote as part of a broader civil society election observation hub supported by the European Union under the EU Support for Democratic Governance Project (EU-SDGN).
"The Election Observation Hub comprises organizations such as Yiaga Africa, The Kukah Centre, International Press Centre (IPC), Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), Nigeria Women Trust Fund (NWTF), ElectHER and TAF Africa.
"Cumulatively, the Hub is deploying 687 observers across Anambra State, working in coordinated clusters that cover election integrity and results verification, disability inclusion, gender participation, peacebuilding, media and misinformation tracking, logistics observation, and realtime data reporting," he hinted.
The group urged INEC to uphold integrity of the election, including ensuring uniform and uncompromised application of the BVAS for accreditation across polling units, stressing its importance under the Electoral Act 2022.
"INEC must strengthen oversight of logistics by ensuring strict supervision of the deployment of personnel and materials, including holding transport companies accountable to their contractual obligations.
"The commission must provide timely and detailed information regarding voting arrangement in Ihiala LGA, where voting has been consolidated due to insecurity to avoid voter confusion and disenfranchisement," the group stressed.
On security, Yiaga underscored neutrality and professionalism of security agencies by operating without political bias.
It also recommended establishment and enforcement of clear protocols to exclude vigilante and other unconventional security outfits from election security roles.
"Their involvement should be expressly prohibited to maintain public trust.
"Security operations must be non-selective, avoiding intimidation or harassment of political actors, voters, accredited observers and journalists.
"They must deploy strategically to hotspots by prioritizing intelligence led deployment in identified flashpoints to deter violence, reassure voters, and prevent escalation of conflicts on election day," the group added.
