The CSOs stated this in a post-election analysis briefing on Saturday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
The Civil Society Situation Room has decried the high rate of vote-buying in the ongoing Osun State governorship election.
The CSOs stated this in a post-election analysis briefing on Saturday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
They regretted that as of the time of having the briefing, security agents had not arrested many of those involved in the rampant vote-buying going on openly in all the polling units observed.
The leader of the CSO Situation Room, who addressed the media said they would not conclude whether the poll was credible or not until after the election.
The CSOs said, "There is open vote-buying and selling in some of the polling units by the polling agents in the areas covered. There is no complaint from any of them (party agents) or talking to each other. And that was something we could not really figure out because we think that when you see negotiations, the other party agents will be complaining. In this case, other party agents are not complaining except one place we saw a party agent standing very firm and said you cannot do certain things here."
They also stated that oaths and coupons were used to extract commitment from voters.
While commending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for early deployment of materials and officials, the groups disclosed that "priority voting was also observed for the elderly and disabled in most of the polling units. The Situation Room notes that a few of the polling units were also located in places with staircases making it impossible for those who are having clutches to exercise their franchise."
She added, "In conclusion, situation room observation observed that there was no violence recorded and the number of people who came out was very encouraging, it is likely we are going to have higher voter turnout.
"We commend the people of Osun State for coming out early to cast their votes especially the elderly who waited on the queues. INEC deployment and materials and personnel should also be commended, so we also commend the Commission for the early deployment. Early voting was recorded in most of the areas that we observed, especially outside Oshogbo. And voting continued with stakeholders maintaining the peaceful atmosphere that was maintained."