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INEC invites international groups to observe the election

INEC invites international groups to observe the election

INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) has invited International organizations to Nigeria’s general elections in 2023.

When he met with the ECOWAS delegation on its fact-finding mission before the elections in Nigeria, INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu made the call.

Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, a former chairman of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, led the group when it arrived at the commission’s Abuja headquarters on Monday.

INEC chairman revealed that inviting foreign observers was part of the commission’s tradition and indicated its openness.

INEC invites international groups to observe the election

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said, “Election Observation is essential to ensuring transparency and credibility in elections. We have always benefited from the insight of election observation missions.

 

“For instance, you are here on fact-finding; we will hear from you what you have found so far, which will help us conclude our preparations for the election.

“And I look forward to receiving any report at the end of the process in February and March so we can learn even more from the inside.”

The chairman assured the ECOWAS that Nigeria’s 2023 general elections would be technology driven.

“Let me restate the commitment of INEC Nigeria to free, fair and credible elections driven by technology.

“The 2023 general election in Nigeria will be driven by technology not only as a matter of legal requirement but also as a matter of course for us in the commission.

“So, I want to assure the ECOWAS team that we are committed to delivering a credible election in the next four months and a few days, which will be Nigeria’s seventh successive elections since the restoration of democracy in 1999,” Yakubu said.

Yakubu said ECOWAS was the first organization to arrive in Nigeria for the election and commended it for its dedication to ensuring credible elections in Nigeria.

“ECOWAS has demonstrated that seriousness and commitment to ensuring that we get right electorally in this region in the next few weeks; I’m sure many more organizations will come.

He also emphasized the necessity of restoring democracy to all West African nations, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.

By the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol 2021 to observe elections in Nigeria, the delegation was in Nigeria to gather information before the country’s general elections in 2023, according to Dr. Remi Ajibewa.

He stated that Articles 11, 12, and 13 of the protocol required the commission to send an electoral fact-finding mission to every ECOWAS member state that was about to hold an election, particularly the presidential election.

INEC Chairman’s words:

“And this is why we are here, and in the cause of our being here in Nigeria, there will be visits first to ECOWAS Commission, which we have done to brief the head of mission.

“Then, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where we have been this morning, then the Inspector-General of Police, then some civil societies and INEC.

“We usually do that because we believe INEC is our friend, so that’s some of the things we’ve had; we also put it across to them, areas where discussion.

“So, in the course, we’ll also be visiting the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. We will be visiting the resident electoral commissioners.

INEC will be visiting the security agencies. We will be visiting the traditional and religious leaders.

“We will be visiting the civil society, having audience our discussion with them, all to know the preparedness of these stakeholders we are meeting.

“But in particular, we will not miss out on the political parties, given that they constitute the sort of important role.

“Then in the course, we’ll be meeting the media, speaking with the Bar Association, the courts as well because of their role,” he said

The ECOWAS Commission’s Director of Political Affairs, Ajibewa, stated that the delegation’s visit to Nigeria was not the first time.

He noted that it had occurred during previous elections in the country, including the 2019 general elections.

He stated that ECOWAS looks forward to successful and credible elections in West African countries, particularly Nigeria, in 2023, given the country’s leadership role in the sub-region.
“We all know the importance Nigeria holds, given that, as they used to say, if Nigeria sneezes, the whole of West Africa catches a cold, and we don’t pray that will be the result.

“So we are here to listen to you, to see the area of challenges that we might also report.”

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