Ondo Decides: Yiaga Africa Rates Voters Turnout ‘Very Low’

The Yiaga Africa Watching The Vote on Sunday described the turnout of voters in Saturday’s off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State as very low.

Yiaga Africa stated this in a preliminary report jointly signed by Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu and Cynthia Mbamalu, Chair of the 2024 Ondo Election Mission and Director of Programmes for Yiaga Africa respectively and released in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

The group said preliminary estimates revealed that turnout for the 2024 Ondo governorship election will fall “between 24.8% and 27.6%, based on results collated from the polling units, using the PRVT’s election observation methodology.”

It added that, “If the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) official turnout falls within WTV’s estimated range, then it accurately reflects the voters’ turnout at polling units.

“While the results collation process continues, we urge INEC to ensure transparency and adhere to the results collation guidelines.

“We also urge the security agencies to remain professional and nonpartisan as they secure the results collation process.

“Yiaga Africa calls on political parties, stakeholders, and citizens to remain calm and maintain peace as INEC collates the election results.”

It assured Nigerians and stakeholders that it has received and processed its data from the sampled polling units and will share its findings on the results only after INEC officially announced the election results in line with the Electoral Act.

Yiaga Africa had on Saturday said the off-cycle governorship election was characterised by massive vote buying, adding that voters accepted as low as N5,000 before casting their ballots.