Yiaga Africa, a non-governmental organization
(NGO) has said that it would deploy Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) to monitor
the Anambra State governorship election, to check rigging.
This
was disclosed yesterday in Awka by the Head of Elections Programme for Yiaga
Africa, Mr. Paul James during the Yiaga Africa’s Watching the Vote (WTV)
media roundtable with journalists on the forthcoming governorship election in
the state.
In his
words, “#WatchingTheVote (WTV) is a comprehensive observation of the electoral
process which includes the observation of the pre-election period environment.
“For
the election day observation, Yiaga Africa’s WTV will use an advanced election
day observation methodology called the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT).
“The
PVT is an election day observation methodology that leverages on statistics and
technology to observe the process of voting, counting and tallying of results.
“We
are deploying 500 observers to 250 polling units in the state. Each polling
unit will have two observers on the election day. With the results assembled
from the sampled polling units, a citizen observer group can release projected
estimates and verify the accuracy of results declared by the election
management body.”
According
to James, using this methodology, observer reports are sent via text message to
a central database which enables WTV to analyze and share timely findings on
the conduct of the election in near real-time.
“The
PVT allows Yiaga Africa’s WTV to
present an accurate and comprehensive assessment of the election day processes,
such as whether election officials comply with the guidelines for the conduct
of elections; the presence of security agents; the presence and behaviour of
party agents; secrecy of the ballot and transparency of the counting process.
“It is
the only observation methodology that can independently verify the accuracy of
election day result as released by the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) which is the body legally mandated to do so.”
James disclosed that a total of 548
observers would be working for the organization on the election day in the
state, adding that even though the group doesn’t announce election results as
it is exclusive of the INEC to do so, it can raise the alarm where the result
announced by INEC fails to align with its own.
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