State-based Civil Society Organizations in Kogi state have called for early commencement of voter education activities in the state to checkmate a possible low voter turnout ahead of the November 16 Governorship Election. The State CSOs made the call in Lokoja during an assessment exercise organized by YIAGA AFRICA to analyze the political and security...

Ahead of the November 16 Governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi State, YIAGA AFRICA’s project has commenced a critical assessment of the political and security situation in the states as part of its plan for election observation. Speaking during an assessment visit to Kogi state’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office earlier this week, Programs...

As part of its effort to ensure credible elections, YIAGA AFRICA through its elections department is exploring possibilities of improving the quality of Voters register in Nigeria. Having observed series of elections across the country including the just concluded 2019 elections, YIAGA AFRICA has identified major issues with the Voters registered which is usually updated...

YIAGA AFRICA has conducted an extensive reflection sessions with its State Focal Points in charge of election observation deployment in various states in Nigeria to assess the quality of its deployment for the 2019 elections. It can be recalled that YIAGA AFRICA through its Watching The Vote (WTV) project deployed 3906 observers across all Local...

Democracy thrives with an independent judiciary that is insulated from undue interference.  The Judiciary is the hope of the common man as well as the political elite. Nigeria has just concluded its general elections where the contest for political power assumed unimaginable acmes with democratic institutions weakened and sabotaged by the state; rampageous political thugs...

The essence of democracy is to give citizens equal access and conducive atmosphere to elect their leaders regardless of who they choose or what the candidates have to offer, anything less is a great threat to the existence of democracy. The current progressive decline of the quality of elections in Nigeria is worrisome and frightening,...

Voters’ apathy has become a great challenge to Nigerian democracy. The issue has become a canker-worm that is refusing to go since we witnessed it during the 2007 general elections in Nigeria. Apparently, the electoral process is a major pillar of democracy as the voter remains the most important stake holder in the procedure. Thus...

Introduction Click to Download Full Document Ladies and Gentlemen, distinguished guests – welcome to the YIAGA AFRICA Watching The Vote (WTV)’s Press Conference on March 23, 2019 governorship supplementary elections. On 23 March, YIAGA AFRICA deployed 264 observers to 311 polling units in the 98 Local Government Areas (LGA) and 95 observers to 95 LGA...

Introduction Click to Download Full Report Ladies and Gentlemen, distinguished guests – welcome to the YIAGA AFRICA Watching The Vote (WTV)’s Situational Press Conference on Opening and Set-Up of Polling Units for the March 23, 2019 governorship supplementary elections. This briefing is the second in a series of three planned press conferences to be hosted...

Introduction Click to Download Full Report Ladies and Gentlemen, distinguished guests – welcome to the YIAGA AFRICA Watching The Vote (WTV)’s Preliminary Press Conference on the observation plans for the governorship and state assembly supplementary elections scheduled for March 23, 2019 and the pre-election environment leading up to the elections. This briefing is the first...