The Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) has pointed out some of the anomalies that marred Saturday’s Aba North/South Federal Constituency bye-election.

The Abia-based pro-democracy and civil rights group, which monitored the election, said in a statement signed by the Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, that these include logistical hiccups, security challenges and vote buying – lamenting that some voters sold their vote for as little as ₦500. Below is part of the group’s report on the election:

“In most of the electoral wards covered, there were issues of late arrival of logistics leading to late commencement of election. Aba South Ward 9, for example, had not begun election by 10:am as against the stipulated time. Also, the issue of-nonfunctioning of smart card readers was noted in Umuola Ward 8, Aba North.

“Apathy was also visible given that in most of the polling units monitored by FENRAD, voters did not turn out by up to 20% for the most part. In Ward 8, Aba North, out of 1344 registered voters, less than a hundred voters had turned out. In many other places, INEC staff were seen almost idling away as voters were coming in small trickles. The statewide ban on movement placed by the state government on vehicular movement might have been the cause and also the fact that many of the registered voters actually registered at their workplaces than at their residences meant it would be difficult for these persons to access their polling units. Also, being that elections usually are work-free days, the situation could not get any better.

“Under the prevailing condition, it was not difficult to assess issues and questions of rights. Women voted but where low in number against expectation and the worrisome trend was that none of the so-called major political parties featured a woman as its candidate. Since apathy was markedly pronounced, it was almost a walk in the park for voters to exercise their civic duty as crowd was relatively low. But youth turnout was poor given that the youth make up the 60% of the voters were not seen mobilising for election even during the campaigns.

“Although relatively peaceful, the atmosphere witnessed a security threat when bomb explosion was heard at Umuola sending voters away some of who later returned to their units to exercise their franchise. The conduct of the security agencies was topnotch in some cases as most of the security personnel did not in any way interfere with voting and were seen within the units lawfully conducting themselves. But in some cases the security agents could not stop some irregularities like vote buying perpetrated by all the political parties. Voting and election became almost an enterprise with parties wooing voters with monetary inducement. In Ward 11 of Aba North, a woman was seen sharing money among INEC’s ad-hoc staff and had claimed it was their allowances when accosted. The security agencies stationed thereto did not do much to either stop this or get the woman apprehended. INEC, it should be stated, does not have any provision for paying personnel at the field.

“Also in Ward 9, Aba South, vote buying was massive as many voters received money in the neighbourhood of ₦1000.00 and in some cases ₦500.00! A certain artisan whose business did not operate on the election date was seen telling residents to go and collect their own ‘share’. This vote buying was also observed by FENRAD in Ward 8, Aba South. Security agencies, in certain cases, saw this happen and did not do much to forestall same. Party agents milling around the polling units doled out cash and were giving some to voters in broad daylight.

“The highpoint of security breach occasioned by the election was perhaps the kidnapping of Campaign Officer to All Progressives Congress, APC candidate, Engr. Mike Ozoemena by men in white Hilux at his ward, Industrial Ward 2, Aba North. Not much has been heard about him or his whereabouts as at the evening of Saturday, March 27, 2021.

“The election results are expected to be in as soon as collation ends. FENRAD would be following all the happenings in this regard and would be making a more voluminous report thereafter.”