Over 300 observers and journalists worked with me during the Kogi election. I was in the state for about 3 days before it was conducted. Throughout the election day, I heard numerous gunshots and saw rains of bullets few meters away from the hotel hall we worked in.
As fact-checkers team leader, I didn’t work based on rumours on social media, but tried to verify all cases of violence, voter intimidation and snatching of ballot boxes, not only from a single observer but from at least three eyewitnesses. I confirmed the death of at least five people before I submitted my first report. I heard later that the death toll raised to 10 as reported by reliable news media.
It is not only injustice but inhumane to think Kogi election was done free of rigging. There were many poling units, wards and local governments that had their results replaced with new one. The police deployed to the state, approaching 40,000, were seen doing nothing at the places were violence was at its peak. A footage of helicopter raining tear gas to voters to destabilise the election process that has gone viral is neither fake nor old.
The nonpartisan CDD, Situation Room and YIAGA have all condemned the show of madness. EU and many other organisations asked for the cancellation of the election. If you think all these NGOs are working for PDP then you need a doctor, psychiatrist by the way. Nigerian democracy is in danger and President Buhari is about to leave a very bad legacy in the electoral processes in Nigeria.
By Aliyu Dahiru Aliyu kogi State Electoral observer for Kogi State 2019 Elections
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