THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nigeria has commenced its month-long review of the presidential and local elections held in February and March 2023. The elections were marred by violence, technical glitches, and widespread controversy, making it one of the most contentious electoral processes in recent Nigerian history.
Mahmood Yakubu, Chair of INEC, held a meeting with state electoral officials in the capital on Tuesday to discuss the review. While acknowledging the successful deployment of the voter accreditation system, Yakubu emphasised the need to evaluate INEC’s operations and the effectiveness of the technologies employed during the voting process.
Yakubu assured the public that the review would be conduc
ted impartially, and INEC would make its findings transparent. ‘The time has come for introspection, stocktaking, review, and evaluation,’ Yakubu stated during a press conference. He welcomed diverse opinions from political parties, candidates, and observers, as long as they aimed to improve the conduct of elections and strengthen democracy.
To date, INEC has received 54 reports from various observer missions regarding the conduct of the elections. The review comes a week after the European Union observer mission published its final report, which sparked debates. The EU report criticised the elections for failing to meet the promised standards of a well-run, transparent, and inclusive democratic process. It also highlighted security concerns and the tense political atmosphere leading up to the elections. The Nigerian presidency rejected the EU’s report, but some experts, such as Idayat Hassan from the Centre for Democracy and Development, agree with its findings.
Hassan acknowledged INEC’s under-delivery but stressed the importance of considering the prevailing factors surrounding the elections, such as fuel and currency scarcities, which impacted citizens’ participation. She called on INEC to conduct the review within a broader context, taking into account previous elections and collaborations with security agencies and stakeholders.
The February and March elections witnessed violence resulting in at least 21 fatalities. Operational challenges, logistics issues, and allegations of vo ter suppression in some states further marred the electoral process. Emmanuel Njoku from the nonprofit Connected Development, an election observer, criticised INEC’s expertise in conducting elections and faulted their appointment process.
INEC has been evaluating its performance in elections since 2011 and is also reviewing over 200 investigations conducted by the police, which include cases involving high-ranking officials.
In a separate development, an appeals court in Abuja concluded the defence hearing on Wednesday for lawsuits challenging the election of Bola Tinubu by opposition groups. The court will reconvene later this month to proceed with the cases.
(with VOA)
