A coalition of domestic and international election observers accredited to observe the July 14 governorship poll in Ekiti State has finally come up with their report.

According to the coalition comprised of about 50 domestic organizations and foreign observers including the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, Nigeria; Justice and Equity Organisation, Nigeria; International Republican Institute, United States of America;  Patriotic Women Foundation, Abuja and groups representing the African Union, the elections in which Dr Kayode Fayemi emerged as winner fell short of international standards of credibility. The groups said  the polls fell below the global electoral standards.

Although they praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the general conduct of the poll in line with global and constitutional dictates and standards, the coalition  condemned the deployment of 30,000 policemen for the election and the conduct of some of the security operatives.

They  lamented the unwholesome practices of vote buying, where voters surreptitiously showed which party they voted for to party agents who went behind to reward them with cash.

The coalition further noted that the election was characterized by ballot box snatching, sporadic shootings and driving away of some party agents as well as intimidation, oppression and forceful influence of electorate’s free will.

They therefore held that the July 14 poll could not be recommended as a template for the forthcoming 2019 general elections as it fell short of global standards and spelt doom.

Speaking to newsmen on Tuesday on behalf of the domestic observers, Gabriel Nwambu of the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, Abuja, said the exercise witnessed a high level of unprecedented electoral related challenges and abuses which would remain contentious until justice prevails.

He specifically pointed out flaws in the Ekiti elections to include cash inducements, arrests of political stalwarts by security agents and snatching of electoral materials by political thugs.

“Party agents had huge cash and were close to voting points. Security agents were indifferent to cash inducement of voters. The whole process falls short of the compliance with international best standards,” Nwambu said.

One of the international observers, Virginia Marumoa-Gae of the IRI, USA, said trouble began at 11 am when ‘see and buy’ started and this caused chaos across all the wards and polling units.

“Voters showed their ballot papers to party agents to collect money, thugs disrupted the voting process by shooting but the police and other attaching security agents did well by establishing their presence at the polling units as stipulated by the constitution,” she submitted.