IPAC expresses concern over EU's interference in Nigeria's electoral process

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The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has expressed concerns over what it described as undue interference of the European Union (EU) in Nigeria’s election through the EU Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM) without due consideration of the country’s sovereignty.

IPAC also wondered why the EU interrogates Nigeria’s election credibility while Nigeria nor IPAC has ever interrogated the credibility of elections in EU member states.

The National Chairman of IPAC, Engr Yabagi Sani while briefing journalists after the Council’s meeting, said they observed that in the 2023 general election, the EU/EOM deployed 51 non-resident observers to Nigeria for a period of three (3) months from 11th January to 11th April 2023 to observe the election from the preparatory activities to the conduct of polls and announcement of result.

He said “while IPAC does not interrogate the credibility of elections in any of the EU member states, nor question their electoral outcomes, the EU/EOM has over the years developed the practise of making pronouncements bothering on Nigeria’s domestic affairs without due consideration of the country’s independence and sovereignty.

“This raises the question of their role and neutrality under the declaration of principles for international election observers and why they should continue to superintend our elections.

“Is it that we cannot conduct a free, fair and credible election in our country by ourselves without the presence and validation of the European Union and its Election Observation Mission?”

Sani said the EU does not deploy election observation missions to observe elections in advanced or other transition democracies in East and Central Europe and SouthEast Asia.

He further wondered why such inquisitive Missions are deployed mostly in Africa at the end of which their report often fails to take into cognisance the sensibilities and the true realities on ground before, during and after the elections.

“The report of the European Union Election Observer Mission (EU/EOM) to the 2023 General Election in Nigeria is based on a number of assumptions derived from an insignificant coverage of 0.059% and 0.033% of the 186,227 and 187,651 electoral locations for the national and state elections on 25th February and 18th March 2023 respectively”, he noted.

According to him, the IPAC will give the Mission and its report the benefit of doubt and take the position that some of the recommendations are useful and should be considered in the preparation and conduct of future elections in Nigeria.

“However, it is our position that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has performed well within the limit of its human, resource and infrastructural constraints by introducing technology in its operations.

“Undoubtedly, some of the outcomes in the election attest to the benefits of increased usage and efficient deployment of technology in the conduct of our elections.

“The outcomes of the election produced the most diverse legislature since 1999 with nine of the 18 political parties winning legislative seats (seven in the Senate, eight in the House of Representatives and nine in the State Houses of Assembly)”, IPAC said.

“We do acknowledge that there were challenges during and after the elections as in other elections, it is the position of IPAC that lessons have been learnt and matters regarding the elections are before the various Election Petition Tribunals across the country.

While stating its observations on the 2023 general election, IPAC said “in terms of constitutional reform, we have improved tremendously, as Section 65 of the Electoral Act, 2022 which gave the Commission the powers to review any declaration or return made by a returning officer where such a return was not made voluntarily or made contrary to the provisions of the law was effectively exercised in Adamawa, Abia, Kano and Enugu States.

“On the appointment of INEC Commissioners, it is a constitutional issue exercised by the Executive; IPAC is of the view that any candidate nominated for these positions must be thoroughly screened by the security agencies and the Senate to prevent persons of unworthy character from becoming a Commission member or Resident Electoral Commissioner;

“On Access to election results in real-time, it seems to us that the EU/EOM either did not understand the process or got the procedure wrong. After voting and counting of votes, the result is recorded on form EC8A and handed over to Party Agents right there at the Polling Unit.

“The introduction of the IREV portal by the Commission is an added value and an improvement in INEC’s effort to promote credibility and transparency by making election results at the Polling Units available to citizens in real time to interrogate, confirm and validate election outcomes”.

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