Ondo 2024: KDI Observes Vote Buying, Late Commencement of Voting

Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), has reported its key findings on the ongoing Ondo State governorship election which was held on Saturday, November 16, 2024, highlighting issues of vote buying, late commencement of voting, and violence in a handful of places.

In its preliminary report issued on Saturday, KDI noted among its observations the relative adequacy in policing structure and professionalism in the election which prevented a breakdown of law and order and engendered a peaceful election.

The KDI said it has received reports on issues like vote buying leading to voting paused in some polling units where voters and citizens were agitated and in some instances led to physical assault.

Vote Buying
It noted that the “political class in Nigeria continues to evolve strategies for vote buying, a practice that has become increasingly prominent in the country’s elections. KDI’s election Day Data Room received multiple reports of vote buying across all three senatorial districts. So far, votes traded for between N1,000 and N10,000”

It accused security operatives of aiding and abetting vote buying during the ongoing Ondo State governorship election. Specifically, the report mentioned a case whereby operatives of the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), clashed over the protection of a vote buyer. The incident occurred when a vote buyer apprehended by NSCDC operatives ran to police operatives for protection.

“There have however been pockets of reports indicating that security agents were aiding and abetting vote buying, striking a fight between the police and NSCDC officials. Also received, was the report of a party agent caught buying votes by officials of the NSCDC. He ran into the embrace of the police who shielded him. This resulted in a clash between the two security agents, the report noted.

Late Commencement of Voting
While acknowledging that INEC poll workers arrived in many polling units early, there were isolated cases of late commencement of the polls at certain locations of the 275 reports received from the field, a substantial 33.9 percent indicated late commencement. Observations indicate that the election officials arrived at polling stations between 6;30 am and 8:00 am, and voting commenced in those locations of the 33 percent report between 8:45 am and 10:00 am.

This was attributed to the late turnout of voters, BVAS malfunctioning, and the late arrival of INEC officials in pockets of polling units.

On Violence
The KDI received 20 reports of incidents of violence. None of the violence led to disruption of the polling unit except in polling unit 3 Ward 5 in Idanre LGA where the party shot sporadically in the air and dispersed voters. In Idanre Ward 5 Unit 3, gunshots were reportedly used to scare away non-APC voters from the polling unit,” the report stated.

Read the full report here: KDI_Press Statement on Ondo