Election 2019: CDD Commends Nigerians For Large Voter Turnout Despite Challenges

The centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) Election Analysis Centre has commended Nigerians for trooping in large numbers to cast their votes, in spite of the numerous challenges many of them faced, during the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday, February 23, 2019.

“We consider Nigerian voters to be the winners  of the elections as they took ownership of the voting process” the CCD stated.

The CDD  on Monday said that they deployed over 3500 field observers to monitor the presidential and National Assembly 2019 elections

The Election Analysis Centre observed that voting started very early in most polling units while the rest started at about 9am, 12pm and 1pm respectively as a result of logistics-related challenges.

However, the conduct of election went smoothly in most parts of the polling units as the ad-hoc staffs arrived early though little challenges were encountered like ballot papers, indelible ink, or lack of  result sheets.

The CCD noted that many card readers failed,  but the centre is concerned however that despite the malfunctioned smart card readers, voting proceeded without their use.

Furthermore, the issue of insecurity in the polling units were reported as there was a report of bomb blast,  Boko Haram attacks in Gaidam, Yobe state.

The secrecy of ballot were violated as voters were allowed to cast their votes in view of the public in some poling units, vote buying were also observed in some polling units.

“Vote buying was observed in some polling units in Bayelsa, Enugu, Kano and Osun states, adding however, that the most disturbing was the situation where party agents go around with voters’ register, hustle voters and negotiate for their votes.

“We also observed voters willingly selling their votes to the highest bidder. The telephone was a valuable tool utilised in the vote-buying and selling transactions” CCD said.

The Analysis centre also noted with concern the late responds of INEC to election related incidents and challenges referred to it from polling units, poor communication with stakeholders for example, the postponement of voting in places like Bonny in Rivers State.