YIAGA dumps Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) method for March 9 polls

YIAGA AFRICA, an election observer group on Friday said the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology will not be deployed in the ongoing governorship and state assembly elections.

The Executive Director, YIAGA AFRICA, Samson Itodo, disclosed this while speaking on deployment of 682 observers to 29 States for the elections.

Itodo revealed that the observers will be deployed to 642 Local Government Area results collation centres and 29 Sate collation centres while monitoring the entire voting process from start to finish.

According to him, “YIAGA AFRICA Watching the Vote will not be deploying the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology but will conduct a systematic observation of the elections.

“For the March 9 Governorship and State House of Assembly elections, YIAGA AFRICA will deploy a total of 682 observers to observe the elections in 29 states.

“This comprises 642 stationary observers to one polling unit in each of the 642 Local Government Areas, and 40 roving observers and 8 WTV Working Group members. YIAGA AFRICA will also deploy observers to 642 LGA results collation centers and 29 state collation centers.

“This deployment will enable YIAGA AFRICA to provide the most timely and accurate information on the governorship and state assembly elections in 29 States.

“Our observers will observe the entire Election Day process from setup of the polling units, accreditation, voting, announcement and posting of the official results and will send in periodic reports to the Watching the Vote National Data Centre located at Floor 01, Benue/Plateau Hall, Transcorp Hilton in Abuja where they will be processed and analysed.”

He concluded that its mission was to carry out the ‘Watching The Vote, WTV, project.

“YIAGA AFRICA undertook the Watching the Vote project to deepen electoral integrity through independent, credible and professional observation of elections and provide Nigerian voters, presidential candidates, political parties, civil society and INEC of verifiable independent information on the conduct of election. The Watching the Vote project is “Driven by Data – For All Nigerians – Beholden to None!” he said.