The International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI) Joint Election Observation Mission (IEOM) have described last Saturday’s presidential election as lacking transparency.
The leader of the team Dr Joyce Banda, former
President of Malawi, congratulated the people for “their resilience and
enthusiasm.”
“Despite large crowds in some polling
stations and long waits, Nigerian voters demonstrated commitment to participate
in the process and a strong desire to have their voices heard,” Banda said.
The mission noted that despite the reforms to
the Electoral Act 2022, “the election fell well short of Nigerian citizens’
reasonable expectations”, while the electoral commission lacked transparency.
Banda said logistical challenges and multiple
incidents of political violence overshadowed the electoral process and impeded
a substantial number of voters from participating.
NDI/IRI confirmed currency and fuel shortages
imposed excessive burdens on voters and election officials while marginalized
groups, especially women, continue to face barriers to seeking and obtaining
political office.
Banda said after the polls, challenges with
the electronic transfer of results and their upload to a public portal in a
timely manner, undermined citizen confidence at a crucial moment of the
process.
“Inadequate communication and lack of
transparency by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) about
their cause and extent created confusion and eroded voters’ trust in the
process.
“The combined effect of these problems
disenfranchised Nigerian voters in many areas, although the scope and scale is
currently unknown,” the ex-President added.
The statement, however, commended INEC for
conducting the general elections according to the electoral calendar “for the
first time in the country’s recent history”.
Post a Comment