2023: EU observers submit final report on Nigeria’s general elections, highlighting important priorities
According to the observers, while the elections demonstrated Nigerians’ commitment to democracy, they also exposed long-standing structural flaws, indicating the need for more legal and operational reforms to improve openness, inclusiveness, and accountability.
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) submitted its final report on the recent Nigerian general elections on Tuesday, emphasizing six important areas.
At a press conference in Abuja, the mission’s Chief Observer, Barry Andrews, presented the report, which includes 25 recommendations.
Read More:
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria held presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25, while gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections were held on March 18.
On April 15, various constituencies around the country held supplementary elections.
The EU EOM carried out its work between 11 January and 11 April at the invitation of INEC.
A European Parliament team joined the EU EOM to observe the presidential and National Assembly elections.
A total of 110 observers from 25 EU member states, as well as Norway, Switzerland, and Canada, were credentialed by the mission.
Presenting the report, Mr. Andrews said: “We are particularly concerned about the need for reform in six areas which we have identified as priority recommendations, and we believe, if implemented, could contribute to improvements for the conduct of elections.”
He mentioned resolving uncertainties in the law, creating a publicly accountable selection procedure for INEC members, and ensuring real-time publication and access to election results.
Others include increased protection for journalists, tackling gender discrimination in politics, and addressing impunity for electoral offenses.
Although the recent elections demonstrated Nigerians’ commitment to democracy, they also exposed long-standing institutional flaws, signaling the need for more legal and operational reforms to improve openness, inclusiveness, and accountability, according to Mr. Andrews.
He went on to say that flaws in the law and electoral administration hampered the conduct of fair and inclusive elections and harmed public trust in INEC.
He noted that political will is critical in attaining enhanced democratic practices in Nigeria and that the EU remains ready to assist Nigeria in putting its suggestions into action.
Priority recommendations
It also made some recommendations.
Removing ambiguities in the law: Protect the interests of voters through certainty of law for all stages and aspects of electoral processes by eliminating from electoral law and regulations errors and ambiguities to avoid the potential for conflicting interpretations, and ensuring the revision processes are inclusive.
Establishing a publicly accountable selection process for INEC members: Establish a robust operational framework for the independence, integrity, and efficiency of electoral administration through an inclusive and publicly accountable mechanism for selecting candidates for the posts of INEC commissioners and RECs based on clear criteria of evaluation of merits, qualifications, and verified non-partisanship.
Ensuring real-time publication of and access to election results: Protect the free expression of the will of the voter and the integrity of elections by establishing a robust, transparent, and easily verifiable results processing system with clear rules. These include uploading polling unit results from the polling unit only and in real-time, at each level of collation results forms to be uploaded in real-time, and all forms to be published in an easily trackable and scrapable database format.
Providing greater protection for media practitioners: Afford adequate protection to freedom of expression by developing a comprehensive operational framework underpinned by the skills and means for ensuring prompt investigation and prosecution of all types of attacks against media practitioners.
Addressing discrimination against women in political life: Undertake urgent and robust affirmative action to ensure meaningful women’s representation through special measures in line with the Beijing principles and the National Gender Policy to increase the representation of women as candidates and in elected office, further supported by cross-sectoral, intensified, and sustained capacity building and sensitisation to eliminate discrimination.
Addressing impunity regarding electoral offenses: Address impunity for electoral offenses through robust, well-defined, and effective inter-agency coordination governed by clear rules on non-partisanship, optimisation of resources, delivery of effective investigation and sanctioning, and provision of regular public consolidated information on outcomes.
Polls credibility
The presidential election, perhaps the most competitive in recent history, saw Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), emerge winner. He was sworn in as president on 29 May.
The election is being contested in court by the two other candidates: Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Similarly, the exercise is being challenged by some candidates at the subnational level.
ADVERTISEMENT