Period1:September3–17,2015

TMGConductingPre-ElectionObservationAheadofKogi(Nov.21)andBayelsa(Dec.5)GubernatorialElectionsSeptember4–September17,2015

Summary and Recommendations TransitionMonitoringGroup (TMG)’s observation during this reporting period September 4 – 17, indicatesthatINEChascommencedelection-planningactivities,includingtheconductofcontinuousvoterregistration(CVR)andthedistributionof theuncollectedpermanentvotercards (PVCs).Politicalpartiesandcandidateshave started campaigning in the run up to their party primaries The reports from both states suggest thelimited-existenceofvoterandcivicinformationcampaignstargetedatwomentoincreasetheirparticipationintheelectoralprocess.Hatespeechonthebasisofone’sorigin,whichTMGdefinedbroadlytoencompassbothethnicandgeographicorigins,wasobservedtobeprevalentinBayelsastate.BasedonTMG’sanalysisofelectoraltrendsduringthisreportingperiod,specificrecommendationsinclude:

• TheIndependentNationalElectoralCommission(INEC),NationalOrientationAgency(NOA)andCSOsshould intensifyvotereducationcampaignsandgobeyondthecentralsenatorialzones inbothKogiandBayelsastate..

• INECisadvisedtoprovidecitizenswithmoreinformationonwho,whenandwherepermanentvotercardscanbecollected.

• INEC, NOA and CSOs are encouraged to implement national and INEC gender policies to enhancewomenparticipationinelectionactivities

• INEC,NOAandCSOsareencouragedtoincreasetheirvotereducationcampaignstargetedspecificallyatwomen.

• ForpoliticalpartiesandcandidatestoadheretotheAbujapeaceaccordanddenouncehatespeechandactsofviolenceandcommittoissuebasedcampaigning.

• ForCSOstoobservetheconductofpoliticalpartiesandcandidatesduringtheelectoralprocess.• For State Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to regularly meet and consult

relevantstakeholders.

Data Usage UnliketheTMGQuickCountmethodology(http://tmgtowards2015.org)TMGdoesnotrelyonsamplebasedobservation to carry out its pre-election observation efforts. The reported data is therefore not statisticalrepresentativesofthestatesasawhole,butdoesprovideanindicationgeneralemergingtrendsinthestates.TMGencouragesendusersofitsreportsanddatatoindependentlycorroborateandrespondappropriatelytoalltrendsidentifiedanddiscussedinthesereports.

Period1:September3–17,2015

Key Findings of Reporting Period One Election Preparation INEC commenced the Continuous Voter Registration exercise on September 2 – 9 in both states. The CVRtargetsthreegroups:thosewhoareeligibletovotebutdidnotregisterforthe2015generalelections;thosewhoareeligiblebutwhosenamesarenotonthevotersregister;andcitizenswhohaveattainedtheageof18years.Observers reported that across both Kogi and Bayelsa state, INEC has commenced election preparationactivities, includingcontinuousvoter registrationandthedistributionofuncollectedpermanentvotercards(PVC) frompreviousCVRexercise. INEC isencouraged todisseminatemore information tocitizensonwho,when and where they can collect their permanent voter cards (PVCs). INEC should also ensure thatdistributionofPVCsfornewlyregisteredvotersisdoneinatimelymanneranditisthereforeencouragedtopubliclyannouncethetimetablefordistributionofthenewlyproducedPVCassoonaspossible.

Voter Information Campaigns For purposes of pre-election observation, TMG defined voter information campaigns as sensitization orawarenessprogramsonradioortelevision;distributionofmaterialssuchashandbills;roadshowsconductedbyINEC,NOAorcivilsocietyorganizations;ortownhallmeetingsabouttheelections.TMGobserversfoundthatexposuretovoterinformationcampaignsvariedsignificantlywithinKogistatewithNOAandCSOsconductingtheleastvoterinformationcampaigns.TMGobserversreportednottohavebeenexposedtovoter informationcampaignsconductedbyINECinAdavi,Ankpa, Ibaji, Idah, Igalamela,KogiK.K,MopaMoro, Yagba East and YagbaWest LGAs. In Bayelsa state, TMG observers reported access to voterinformation campaigns by INEC, NOA or CSO in almost all the LGAs in Bayelsa state except for Brass LGA(Bayelsa East senatorial district), where voter information campaigns by both INEC and CSOs was notobserved.Figure1:TMGreportshowingwhereobserverswereexposedtovoterinformationcampaignsconductedbyINECinKogistate

Figure2:TMGreportshowingwereobserverswereexposedtovoterinformationcampaignsconductedbyNOAinKogistate

Figure3:TMGreportshowingwhereobserverswereexposedtovotercampaignsconductedbyCSOsinKogistate

Figure4:TMGreportshowingwhereobserverswereexposedtovoterinformationcampaignsconductedbyINECinBayelsastate

Figure5:showingwhereobserverswereexposedtovoterinformationcampaignsconductedbyNOAinBayelsastate

Figure6:TMGreportshowingwhereobserverswereexposedtovoterinformationcampaignsconductedbyCSOsinBayelsastate

Period1:September3–17,2015

Political Parties and Rallies According to INEC electoral calendar for the conduct of Kogi governorship election timetable, the officialcampaign period for the governorship race commenced on July 24, while the conduct of party primariesincludingresolutionofdisputesarisingfromtheprimariesisscheduledfromAugust25–September15,2015.ForBayelsagovernorshipelection, INECofficial timetablehasSeptember6,as thecommencementdate forpoliticalpartiestocommencecampaigns,whileallpartyprimariesaretobeconductedbetweenSeptember7–30,2015. For thepurposesof theobservationeffort, TMGobserversusedabroaddefinitionof rallies toincludebothpartyorcandidateralliesWith the election campaign and party primaries under way, TMG observers reported that political partieswereorganizingralliesinbothKogiandBayelsastate.ThemostprevalentpoliticalpartiesinbothstateswerePDPandAPC.Theaccompanyingmapprovidesanindicationofwherethepoliticalpartiesconcentratedtheircampaigneffortinthisreportingperiod.Figure7:ObservedPDPralliesinKogistat Figure8:ObservedAPCralliesinKogistate

Figure9:ObservedPDPralliesinBayelsastate Figure10:ObservedAPCralliesinBayelsastate

Voter Information Campaigns targeted at Women TMGobserversreportedtohaveheardofINECandNOAconductingvoterinformationcampaignstargetedatwomeninOgoriMagongoandOkehiLGAsofKogistate.TMGobserversreportedtohavewitnessedorheardof voter information campaigns targetingwomen conductedby CSOs in Kogi K.K,Ofu,OgoriMagongo andOkehi LGAs in Kogi state. In Bayelsa state, TMG observer reported having heard of voter informationcampaignstargetedatwomenby INEC,only inYenagoaLGA.NOAvoter informationcampaignstargetedat

Period1:September3–17,2015

womenweredirectlywitnessedorheardofinEkeremorandYenagoaLGA.CSOvoterinformationcampaignstargetedatwomenwerehoweverobservedinallLGAsinBayelsaexceptinBrassandOgbiaLGAs.

Activities of Women Associations TMG observation of women association includes; activities of commercial based women associations,faithbasedwomenassociations, traditionalwomenassociations andprofessionalwomenassociations.For this reporting period, TMG observers reported to have either directly observed or heard of

Figure11:ShowingpercentagedistributionofvoterinformationcampaignstargetedatwomenconductedbyINEC,NOAandCSOsinBayelsastate

Figure12:ShowingpercentagedistributionofvoterinformationcampaignstargetedatwomenconductedbyINEC,NOAandCSOsinBayelsastate

Period1:September3–17,2015

commercialwomengroupscanvassingforvotesinOfu,Okehi,KogiKKandDekinaLGA.ComparedwithKogistate,womenassociations/groupsinBayelsastateweremoreinvolvedincanvassingforvotesforpoliticalcandidatesintheforthcominggovernorshipelection.

Partisan Senior Civil Servants Under thepublic service rules (2008 edition), engaging inpartisanpolitical activities is classified as aserious act of misconduct. For public servants desirous in engaging in partisan activities, the rulerequiresthatsuchpeopleresignfromservicebeforeengaginginpartisanpolitics.TMGobserversreportedtohavedirectlyobservedorheardofseniorcivilservantscanvassingforvotesforpoliticalcandidates.TheseinstanceswereobservedinDekina,igalamela,Lokoja,OgoriMagongoandYagbawest LGAs inKogi state. TMGobservers reported tohavedirectlywitnessedorheardof seniorcivil servants openly canvassing for votes for a certain candidate in Nembe, Ogbia and Southern IjawLGAs.Figure 15: Kogi state map showing where Partisan seniorservantshavebeenreported

Figure 16: Bayelsa statemap showingwhere partisan seniorservantshavebeenreported

Figure13:Mapsshowingactivitiesofcommercialwomengroupcanvassingforvotes

Figure14:MapsshowingactivitiesofcommercialwomengroupcanvassingforvotesinBayelsastate

Period1:September3–17,2015

Hate Speech Hatespeechwhichconstitutesusingintimidatingorderogatorywordsorphrasestargetedataspecificgroupisconcerningbehaviorinanypre-electionperiodandoftenasignalofclosingdemocraticspaceforparticular demographics.Use of incendiary language that demeans a specific groupof people can alsoserveasanearlywarningsignforpoliticallymotivatedconflict.TMG observers reported to have heard of hate speech, violence or intimidation against politicalcandidatesorpeoplebecauseofwheretheycomefrominOfu,OkehiandYagbaWestLGAinKogistate.TMG observers reported to have directlywitnessed or heard of hate speech, violence or intimidationagainst candidate because or people because of where they come from Brass, Ekeremor, Nembe andYenagoaLGAofBayelsastateFigure 17: Map of Kogi state, showing where hate speech,violenceorintimidationagainstpoliticalcandidatesbecauseofwheretheycomefromwasreported.

Figure 18:Map of Bayelsa state showingwhere hate speech,violence or intimidation against candidates because of theycomefromwasreported