In order to preserve public confidence in democratic processes, the US Mission in Nigeria has called for openness and due process in the Edo election appeals process.
In a statement released on the US Mission Nigeria X handle (@USinNigeria) in response to the 2024 Edo and Ondo Governorship Election BIP Report, US Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills reaffirmed his support for free and fair elections, credibility, transparency, and due process as crucial components of preserving public trust in any democratic system.
The statement read: “The U.S. Mission in Nigeria is following the Edo election appeal process closely, particularly given civil society’s concerns about critical issues related to the election, such as ‘serious lapses in the collation process’ that were observed.”
“Ambassador Mills reiterates his statement of September 24 that transparency and due process are crucial to maintaining public confidence in any democratic system. The United States reaffirms our commitment to supporting free, fair, transparent, and credible elections in Nigeria and will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
There were notable inconsistencies in the election process, according to the Kimpact Development Initiative’s (KDI) 2024 Edo and Ondo Governorship Election BIP Report.
The consistent discrepancy in the number of registered voters across several voting places was one of the main conclusions. 141 polling places in Edo State had discrepancies, while 87 polling places in Ondo had the same problem.
These differences were also evident in the final collation centers, where the overall number of registered voters was much lower than INEC’s pre-election estimates.
Additionally, the research noted an increase in math errors, especially in Edo State. From 150 instances in 2020 to 426 in 2024, there was an 184% rise in arithmetic errors in the computation of election results.
Ondo State, on the other hand, demonstrated a remarkable improvement in arithmetic errors, improving by 69% from the previous election cycle.
Additionally, Edo recorded 29,053 missing ballots at the polling unit level, indicating a sizable amount of unaccounted-for votes in both states, according to the study. Another major issue was over-voting, which resulted in inflated numbers at polling places. There were 8,887 extra votes cast in Edo State, with over-voting occurring in 382 polling places.
The United States Mission in Nigeria is urging due process, justice, and transparency in the Edo Election appeals process in light of the BIP Report.
