Osun Election Diary: My Experience as an Election Observer in Ifelodun LGA, By Ojewande Phebian

By Ojewande Phebian

My experience as an election observer during the Osun State governorship election was one I will not forget. I initially came across the opportunity through a link shared in the group where we had previously distributed questionnaires across different local governments. We were asked to indicate our interest in participating in the election observation exercise, and I filled out the form. I was excited when I was eventually selected because, although I had some experience observing elections on campus, I had never participated in a state-level election observation.

Before the election, we had a briefing where we were trained on the responsibilities and procedures involved in election observation. We were also advised to travel to our assigned Local Government Area a day before the election and secure accommodation, as available spaces could be limited.

I was assigned to Ikirun in Ifelodun Local Government Area. On Friday, after arriving and getting directions from people around, I first visited the local government secretariat and the INEC office. My intention was to understand the locations of the INEC office, Super RACs, and collation centres so that I could plan my movements and accommodation properly. I also visited one of the Super RACs using the information provided by INEC, which included the locations of the various centres and contact information that could assist observers.

Finding accommodation was another challenge. I eventually found a hotel, although it was quite far from the areas I was expected to cover. I therefore arranged with a motorcycle rider to transport me between the different collation centres and polling units throughout the election.

On election morning, I woke up around 5 a.m. and contacted the motorcycle rider. By 6 a.m., we had begun moving to the locations I had identified the previous day. At one of the polling units, people were already gathered as early as 7 a.m., even though voting was scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. I also visited another nearby polling unit where the code of conduct was being read to voters before the commencement of voting. I later returned to the first polling unit and observed the commencement of the election.

Throughout the day, I moved from one polling unit to another, observing the voting process and documenting what was happening. The process was generally peaceful in the areas I visited, although there were some arguments and disagreements among individuals. There were also instances of long queues, but overall, I did not witness any major disruption during the voting process.

One of the major challenges I experienced occurred later in the evening. Around 6 p.m., the motorcycle rider I had hired informed me that he could no longer continue working because the light on his motorcycle had developed a fault. This was unexpected because I had already explained that I would need transportation until the election process and result announcements were concluded. I had no choice but to pay him the agreed amount and arrange alternative transportation, which resulted in additional expenses.

By the end of the day, I had obtained results from some polling units and one of the collation centres, but I was unable to cover all six collation centres in the local government. I therefore proceeded to the INEC office, hoping to observe the final collation and obtain the results for the local government.

However, when I arrived at the INEC office, I was initially prevented from entering the collation room. I was asked to seek permission from the Electoral Officer (EO), who was hesitant to allow me to remain for the collation. While efforts were being made to resolve the issue, the INEC premises became increasingly crowded with people waiting for the announcement of the results. Security personnel attempted to disperse the crowd, but the situation became tense.

Suddenly, a police vehicle arrived, and tear gas was released. The gas affected both people outside the office and some officials. I had to immediately find a way to leave the area. I contacted the people coordinating my observation and informed them of the situation, and I was advised to leave.

Leaving the area was another challenge because it was already late at night, there were very few motorcycles available, and I was unfamiliar with the route back to my hotel. While trying to find transportation behind the INEC office, I eventually encountered a man who offered me a place to stay at a house connected to a House of Representatives member. Although I was initially hesitant because the area was dark and the situation around the INEC office was still tense, I decided that remaining there was safer than attempting to walk alone to my distant hotel.

Later, I encountered another election reporter who was also stranded because the people he had travelled with had already left. We eventually found a place where I could spend the night, and I stayed there until the following morning.

Looking back, the experience was challenging but very valuable. I initially accepted the assignment because I wanted to gain practical experience in election observation and also because of the financial benefit. However, the experience gave me much more than I expected. It exposed me to the realities of observing elections at the state level, including the challenges of mobility, accommodation, security, access to information, and result collation.

As a Broadcast Journalism student, the experience strengthened my understanding of field reporting and the importance of remaining observant, adaptable, and calm in unpredictable situations. Having experienced election observation beyond the university environment, I now feel more prepared and confident. I look forward to participating in and reporting on future elections, particularly the presidential election, with the experience I gained from this assignment.

I am also deeply grateful to the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) for giving me the opportunity to participate in this exercise and serve as an election observer. I especially appreciate its commitment to creating opportunities for young people and students to participate in meaningful fieldwork. Experiences like this give young people the opportunity to develop practical skills, understand the realities of their profession, build confidence, and also receive financial benefits for their work. I am grateful to have been part of this initiative and for the trust placed in me to contribute to the election observation process.

Ojewande Phebian

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