Ondo polls: INEC, security agencies must remain impartial, says CDD

• The Ondo state governorship election is set to take place on Saturday
• The CDD said “low voter turnout and increased voter apathy” are the major issues that will shape Saturday’s election.

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to maintain neutrality during the Ondo state governorship election on Saturday.

The organisation emphasised that all institutions involved in the electoral process must guarantee a free, fair, and credible election on Saturday.

Oluseyi Awojulugbe, a fact-checker representing Adele Jinadu, chairperson of CDD’s election analysis centre, announced that 90 trained observers have been deployed to monitor the election.

Awojulugbe also revealed that 14 ‘soldiers of mouth’ have been deployed to “monitor the ways that parties, politicians and even members of the public engage in disinformation”.

“As Nigerians in Ondo State go to the polls tomorrow, we urge all institutions connected to the electoral process, such as INEC and security agencies, to ensure that they are impartial and conduct a free, fair and credible process,” Awojulugbe said.

“To ensure disinformation, information manipulation, and all forms of computational propaganda do not undermine the participation of historically marginalised groups, CDD-EAC calls on fact-checking organisations to strengthen collaboration to achieve better results in countering disinformation.

“The CDD-EAC also calls on all institutions – INEC, Police, EFCC, ICPC – to remain impartial and to carry out their duties diligently and patriotically.

“These services, though often thankless, remain important.

We applaud the many ad-hoc staff, NYSC corp members and organisation personnel who are taking time out of their schedules to ensure that the process is hitch-free.

“Finally, CDD-EAC calls on all citizens of Ondo State to head to the polls with a firm belief that democracy will triumph, just as it urges all political actors to eschew divisive and inciting tendencies capable of undermining peace before, during and after the election.

CDD further noted that “low voter turnout and increased voter apathy” are major concerns that could impact the election’s outcome.

Eight key factors are expected to influence the conduct of the election: identity, individuals, incumbency, intra-party relations, institutions, insecurity, information disorder and impassivity.

“As the election takes place tomorrow, CDD’s EAC notes some of the major issues that will shape the election and shares its worry that a possible outcome is low voter turnout and increased voter apathy,” the organisation said.

The CDD expressed hope that INEC’s voter sensitisation efforts and various campaigns would encourage citizens to participate in the election.

INEC’s adherence to its schedule and release of necessary data were also commended.

The organisation praised these efforts, stating that they foster trust and optimism in the electoral process.

CDD urged INEC to maintain this level of transparency during and after the election.

The organisation warned that inadequate communication could lead to misinformation and disrupt the electoral process.