Nigeria’s electoral process has improved over the last six electoral cycles, even as “ a lot of work lies ahead.”
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this on Tuesday during the maiden visit of the newly accredited Ambassador of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and West Africa, Mr Gautier Mignot to the Commission.
Yakubu also affirmed that the European Union’s (EU) partnership with the Commission and other stakeholders dating back several years, especially since the restoration of democracy in 1999, has contributed to the consolidation of the electoral and democratic process in the country.
The INEC Chairman observed that since the 2023 General Election, the Commission had received reports from many of the 206 national and foreign groups and international organisations, including the European Union Observation Mission (EU-EOM) accredited to observe the elections.
He said the EU-EOM) made 23 recommendations, eight of which require the Commission’s action, while 15 require actions by the executive, judiciary, legislative arms of government and other stakeholders.
Prof Yakubu noted that the Commission, in line with its tradition, undertook an extensive review of the 2023 General Election, producing a 524-page main report and a 74-page review report containing 142 recommendations. He said the Commission has already begun implementing aspects of the recommendations that only require its administrative action.
He explained: “For instance, in some of the off-cycle, re-run and bye-elections conducted since the General Election, there has been improvement in the quality of training of ad hoc staff involving the deployment of more BVAS machines for this purpose.
“There has also been tremendous improvement in the functionality of the BVAS in voter accreditation using fingerprint or facial authentication. Furthermore, election results are more speedily uploaded to the IReV.
“Voter registration in Edo and Ondo States ahead of the Governorship elections was better coordinated, and the collection of PVCs was almost seamless with 80 per cent of the cards collected by eligible voters.
“The perennial problem of logistics was also vigorously addressed in the recent Ondo State Governorship election. We are working hard to improve other aspects of electoral operations.”
The INEC Chairman welcomed the EU’s assurance of continuous engagement and collaboration with the Commission as the third phase of the European Union Support for Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) beckons.
Earlier in his remarks, Ambassador Mignot highlighted the importance of combating disinformation and ensuring transparency within the electoral processes. He noted that while democracy is unique as a system of government, it thrives on shared experiences and mutual learning.
The Ambassador commended Nigeria’s democratic progress and the adoption of innovative technologies, such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), which, he averred, serve as examples of how technology can enhance electoral credibility.
The envoy stressed the EU’s dedication to remaining a neutral partner in Nigeria’s democratic journey, emphasising that its involvement “is not about imposing ideas but about sharing experiences to strengthen democratic institutions.”
“The EU is committed to maintaining close collaboration with INEC and other stakeholders to address emerging challenges while celebrating the successes of Nigeria’s evolving democracy,” he said.
