DOMESTIC MONITORS RAISE CONCERN, REJECT RESULTS OF

UNCLAS ABUJA 000725 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM PHUM NI ELECTIONS SUBJECT: DOMESTIC MONITORS RAISE CONCERN, REJECT RESULTS OF APRIL 14 POLLS REF: ABUJA 716 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. (U) A coalition of Nigerian civil society organizations including the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG),Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN),Labor Monitoring Team (LEMT),Women Environmental Program (WEP), Muslim League for Accountability (MULAC),Center for Democracy and Development (CDD),Civil Liberties Organization (CLO),and Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE) deployed 50,000 observers throughout Nigeria's 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to monitor the April 14 gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections. In its interim report, the group raised concern over the conduct of elections, positing that the process was blighted by several irregularities, many of which had been foreseen and highlighted by civil society in the run up to elections. ¶2. (U) The group stated that these irregularities served to "compromise the integrity of the ballot" and "call into question the reliability and validity of results declared by INEC" in many states. Specifically, the report alleges that INEC officials hoarded tally sheets in Anambra, Enugu, Cross Rivers, and Rivers States. It also claims that voters were subject to "subtle and overt intimidation" by party polling agents and others due in part to the lack of secrecy in balloting. Children aged 10-15 were found to cast ballots in Nassarawa, Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Katsina, Cross Rivers, Kano, Yobe, and Niger States. Monitors asserted that the names and/or pictures of some candidates in Anambra, Imo, and Lagos States were missing from ballots. The report maintains that violence and intimidation resulting in at least 80 deaths characterized elections in all six geopolitical zones. The group denounced INEC's disqualification of opposition candidates in Anambra, Kogi, and Adamawa States, premature declaration of the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Delta State as the winner, and cancellation of results in Imo as partisanship in favor of the PDP. ¶3. (SBU) When asked whether any domestic monitors had been intimidated or attacked by security services on elections day, TMG Chairman Innocent Chukwuma noted that one monitor had been fatally shot in Benue State and another two observers in Bauchi State were in a coma. (BEGIN NOTE: In a March 29 press conference, the TMG alleged that some of its member organizations had been threatened and intimidated by State Security Services (SSS). END NOTE.) Moreover, Chukwuma averred that if called upon monitors may on a case-by-case basis testify in any litigation arising from the April 14 elections. ¶4. (U) In a press statement released at about the same time, the European Union observer mission identified many of the same electoral deficiencies and called for resolution of the problems before April 21. ¶5. (SBU) BEGIN COMMENT: The interim report tracks closely with what international observers and the Mission's staff deployed across Nigeria witnessed on April 14. While accused of working for the opposition, many civil society organizations included in this report appear judicious and impartial in their assessment of the conduct of elections. It remains to be seen whether INEC will take into account the group's recommendations in the lead up to the April 21 presidential elections. END COMMENT. CAMPBELL