An international organisation, Search for Common Ground (SFCG), says it recorded 70 incidents in Kogi election out of which 60 were violent – SFCG mentioned some of the recorded incidents to include attacks on polling units and use of thugs during the poll The organisation mentioned 11 local government areas with higher rate of violence At least 70 incidents were recorded in the governorship and senatorial elections just concluded in Kogi state out of which 60 of such were violent, an international organisation, Search for Common Ground (SFCG), has said.
The organisation, according to Daily Trust, said Lola Mamedu, its head in charge of ‘Early Warning’, made the disclosure in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi state when she spoke at a meeting to review the election. The SFCG said the 70 incidents were reported by its Long Term Observers (LTOs) from all the 21 local government areas of the state while the polls held. She named some of the issues recorded to include ballot box snatching, killings, sponsorship of thugs with the goal of causing violence and shooting at polling units to scare voters. Other reported cases included attacks on polling units and other areas by unknown gunmen dressed in fake police uniforms, vote buying as well as voter harassment. The group further lamented what it called unprofessional conducts of security agents during the poll.
She mentioned some local governments were the election violence was heavily recorded. These areas included Dekina, Lokoja, Igalamela, Ankpa, Ajaokuta, Kabba-Bunu, Ijumu, Olamaboro Kogi-Kotonkarfe and Adavi. SFCG praised journalists for their fair reporting during the exercise. Legit.ng earlier reported that an election observer group, YIAGA AFRICA, also described the Kogi West senatorial rerun as an attempt to legitimise a flawed process. This was contained in the group’s statement on the supplementary election sent to journalists on Wednesday, December 4. “INEC failed to conduct new governorship and senatorial elections in the state, and therefore YIAGA AFRICA believes that the rerun election represents an attempt to legitimise a flawed election,” the group said.