In reaction to the final report of the European Union (EU) election observation mission on Nigeria’s recently ended general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has responded.
In response to the findings, Festus Okoye, national commissioner for voter education and information at INEC, reiterated the commission’s commitment to ensuring that the nation has the best possible democracy on Tuesday.
The chief observer, Barry Andrews, emphasised the need for corrective actions in the EU report by highlighting persisting systemic problems uncovered during the elections.
The bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) and the result viewing portal were explicitly mentioned by Andrews as having operational issues and flaws. The report claims these inconsistencies seriously harmed the public’s confidence in the electoral body.
Observed Systemic Weaknesses in Nigeria’s General Election: EU Mission Calls for Reforms
While highlighting the necessity for a thorough assessment of the electoral process, Okoye accepted the issues stated in the EU report.
He said it would be unjust to evaluate the entire commission and the elections based on a small number of errors. Okoye further emphasised that both local and foreign observers had praised INEC for the BVAS’s top-notch performance in terms of voter accreditation.
However, the INEC official acknowledged that a number of variables played a role in the problems encountered during the elections.
Okoye listed a number of the causes, including insecurity in many areas of the nation, targeted attacks on INEC employees and civilians, a shortage of fuel, the redesign of the naira, and transportation issues. He reassured the populace that these problems would be carefully investigated and dealt with.
Okoye emphasised INEC’s dedication to implementing the recommendations of the EU mission. He emphasised the value of believing in democratic institutions and the need to refrain from having automatic responses to particular problems.
Okoye urged commitment to the democratic process rather than demanding frequent changes to the legislation, underlining the necessity of establishing and bolstering democratic institutions in Nigeria.
Okoye concluded by refuting that there is nothing good about Nigeria’s democracy and highlighting the nation’s obligation to combat anti-democratic elements. He urged Nigerians to keep working towards establishing a strong and inclusive democratic system.
