A civil society organization (CSO), YIAGA Africa, claims that neither the winner nor the loser of the governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti were shown in the report from their election result analysis dashboard (ERAD).
The organization had provided its research on the electronic transmission of election results for the state’s governorship on September 9.
The permanent voter card (PVC) collection data across more than 10 LGAs in Osun state had “inconsistencies,” according to the report.
Following this development, Gboyega Oyetola, the governor of Osun, declared in a statement that the YIAGA report indicated victory for his principal.
“I said recently that my principal, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, did not lose the election but only lost the vote count. But a lot of people were wondering what point I was trying to make,” Omipidan said.
Oyetola was defeated by People’s Democratic Party candidate Ademola Adeleke (PDP).
In a statement released in response on Thursday, YIAGA claimed that its analysis did not identify a winner or a loser, but rather just outlined problems with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s procedures (INEC).
“Yiaga Africa’s attention has been drawn to news reports and publications credited to Ismail Omipidan, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Osun state, alluding that the recently launched Yiaga Africa Election Result Analysis Dashboard (ERAD) report for the Ekiti and Osun Governorship election ‘confirms’ that the All Progressives Congress candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, won the election,” the statement reads.
“We outrightly reject this assertion and categorically state that the ERAD report did not in any way suggest the winner or loser of the recently concluded June/July, Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections.
“Instead, the ERAD report highlighted certain shortcomings with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) upload of results to the INEC Results Viewing (IREV) Portal and recommendations for improving the process ahead of the 2023 elections.
“Yiaga Africa deployed a comprehensive election observation methodology in Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections. First, Yiaga Africa observed the pre-election period and deployed citizen observers on election day using the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) to provide timely information on the process and verify election results.
“The Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) election observation methodology is a globally recognised election observation tool used by citizen groups.
“It is one of the most accurate and reliable election observation methodology that can independently verify the accuracy of election day results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Yiaga Africa has deployed the PVT in 12 elections in Nigeria including the 2019 Presidential election.
“The ERAD report corroborates the PVT findings contained in the report on the Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections released on August 27th, 2022 which clearly revealed that the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Ekiti and Osun election were consistent with votes cast at the polling units.
“Had the official results been changed at the Ward, LGA or State collation centers, the official results would not have fallen within the Yiaga Africa PVT estimated ranges. Thus, we strongly stand by our PVT findings which have in no way contradicted the ERAD report.”
