BENIN CITY – A Civil Society Organisation (CSO) and one of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) accredited Observers for the Edo governoship election, Yiaga Africa has validated the results announced by the commission which declared the State Governor, Mr Goodwin Obaseki as winner of the election.

At a post-election press briefing in Benin City, the CSO through its Director of programme, Cynthia Mbamalu said that the “INEC official result for the 2020 Edo State gubernatorial election is consistent with the Yiaga Africa WTV estimate.

“Because the official results fall within the estimated ranges, governoship contestants, parties and voters should have confidence that INEC’s official results for the 2020 Edo gubernatorial election reflect the ballot cast at polling units.

She also noted that “INEC’s official results for turnout and rejected ballots are also consistent with Yiaga Africa WTV estimates.”

According to her, Edo governorship election is an improvement on Kogi and Bayelsa 2019 governoship elections and therefore recommended that INEC take all necessary steps to address challenges that arose before the Ondo guber poll.

She also recommended to National Assembly to accelerate reforms to the Electoral Act so as to legalise electronic transmission of election results

Noting that there were critical incidents that tend to undermine the credibility of the poll, she said “While these incidents are serious and must be addressed by INEC, they did not occur at levels and rates that would substantially undermine the integrity of the overall electoral process or the results.”

She however called on the winner of the poll to be magnanimous in victory, while urging all candidates, Political parties and all Nigerians to show maturity and maintain peace