Civil society organisations under the European Union Support for Democratic Governance in Nigeria, EU-SDGN, the Election Observation Hub, have called on political parties and candidates contesting the Ekiti State governorship election to refrain from voter inducement and uphold democratic values throughout the electoral process.

The groups warned political actors against the weaponisation of poverty through vote buying, insisting that the electorate should be allowed to make their choices freely without coercion or financial inducements.

The call was made in a preliminary election assessment released on Saturday in Ado-Ekiti by representatives of the observation hub, which comprises the Kukah Centre (TKC), TAF Africa, the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), Yiaga Africa, the International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO).

Presenting the statement were Samson Itodo of Yiaga Africa, Asabe Ndahi of the Kukah Centre, Akin Akingbulu of CEMESO, Lanre Arogundade of IPC, Brenda Anugwom of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, and Jake Epelle of TAF Africa.

The report read in part, “Our recommendation to political parties and candidates: One, they should desist from weaponising poverty through voter inducement and vote buying.

“Two, they should restrain their party agents from unruly conduct and behaviour at the polling units and collation centres.

“Three, they should admonish their supporters to remain law-abiding and refrain from acts of thuggery and violence.

“And five, for the political parties and candidates, they should respect the choice of the Ekiti people.

“This is a preliminary time-bound assessment based on information available as of 2 p.m. today.

“The EU-SDGN Election Observation Hub will continue to monitor the remainder of the voting process, the collation and announcement of results and will issue a further statement at the end of the election”.