EU election observers to release 2019 election report today

…INEC to engage 9th NASS on electoral reform framework

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

The European Union Election Observation Mission to Nigeria will today release the report of its observation of the 2019 general elections to relevant stakeholders in the country.

Head of Delegation, Maria Arena, who disclosed this on Friday, said the report will be accompanied by recommendations for the conduct of future elections in Nigeria.

Arena, who led the mission which include, Keith Karlsen, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, said the report is an objective observation of EU’s three –month engagement in the country ahead of, during and after the elections.

According to Arena, the election observation mission deployed 91 observers to 261 polling units and 94 collation centres in 31 states during the presidential and National Assembly elections and 73 observers to 223 polling units and 81 collation centres in 22 states.

She said Nigeria is committed to democracy and the recommendations by the EU team will further deepens the nation’s democracy as it will be useful to various stakeholders such as INEC, government, civil society organisations, the parliament, the media and others.

Receiving the delegate, Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu assured that the commission will focus attention on the electoral legal framework in addition to several other areas of reform.

While stressing that the report is coming at the right time, he promised that INEC will study all recommendations of the mission in detail as part of its ongoing internal review of the 2019 general elections.

“Immediately after, we shall engage with the leadership of the 9th National Assembly on areas of that require legislation while implementing aspects of the reforms within the powers of this commission in full consultation with stakeholders,” he assured.

The INEC chairman acknowledged the notion of the EU Chief Obsever that “as the 2019 elections in Nigeria have demonstrated, there are important improvements to be made. Elections can always be better.”

Yakubu said that the European Union has been part of Nigeria’s steady progress towards democratic consolidation since 1999, adding that “the implementation of some of the other recommendations went a long way in enhancing our organisational and operational planning and strengthening our engagement with stakeholders.”