Restore credibility to electoral process with Nov. 11 elections, EU charges INEC, others
European Union (EU) has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other beneficiaries and members of its Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (SDGN) in the country to work towards bridging the noticeable gap highlighted during the last 2023 general elections, by addressing them using the forthcoming off-season governorship elections in three states ‘of Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi.
The three off-season governorship election shave been slated for November 11, 2023 by INEC.
Members of the EU-SDGN cohort include; DAI Global, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Yiaga Africa, Kukah Centre, International Press Centre (IPC), Institute for Media and Society (IMS), Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), ElectHER, TAF Africa, National Peace Committee, SOS Children, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Justice Development and Peace Initiative, and Justice, Development and Peace Movement.
These EU-SDGN groups back and provide support for the activities of INEC, as well as, the National Assembly and the Judiciary; Support to Political Parties; Support to Media; Support to Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities and Support to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
The EU, through its SDGN group backs institutions of government and supports, in particular, the Nigerian electoral process by providing funding and technical support to targeted beneficiaries.
Speaking at the close of a two-day retreat organised for the members, in Lagos, Monday, EU Programme Manager for Democracy and Rule of Law, Laolu Olawumi, urged the members to ensure that the forthcoming Bayelsam, Imo and Kogi elections are conducted in a manner that restores public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process among the populace.
According to the EU, the groups need to build upon various positives recorded during the just-concluded general elections, just as it added that there were also issues that needed to be addressed.
“Over the last 12 months, we have had an intense work plan where different members of the EU-SDGN cohort have been delivering several activities and technical support to critical stakeholders that we have jointly identified.
“The retreat, therefore, sought to see whether the interventions we planned for the next couple of months would help us address the challenges we have seen in the period leading to the elections, and the immediate aftermath of the election.”
She further explained that the retreat created opportunity for all partners to discuss their intervention areas, the precise actions they undertook during the elections, and what the cohort considers critical issues that need to be addressed.
The EU has been insistent that the 2023 General Elections conducted by INEC left much to desired, following the attendant voter suppression and violence, in addition to electoral malpractices which went on.
However, in its preliminary and concluding reports from the elections, the EU commended INEC for positives it achieved in area of spread and technology adapted for the polls.
The EU- SDGN retreat assessed interventions of the cohort in the last 12 months, with a view to understanding what worked and what failed to work, identify challenges encountered, and chart better ways to address them.
While stating that it is important to introspect on the just-concluded elections, she urged the EU-SDGN cohort not to lose sight of states, like Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo, which will be having elections in just over 100 days, as she further restated EU’s commitment towards engendering and strengthening democratic governance in the country.
