The African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Observation Missions deployed to the Nigerian general elections have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on credible conclusions of the electoral process.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Leader of the AU delegation and Former President Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone, Leader of the ECOWAS delegation, made the call on Monday in Abuja during a preliminary briefing on the elections.
They also urged Nigerians to remain calm until the announcement of the final result from INEC, cautioning against disinformation and fake news, especially on social media platforms that would incite post-election violence.
Responding to questions from journalists, Koroma said that the AU and EU Observation Missions is urging INEC to improve on its communication to avoid any form of speculations, disinformation and fake news.
Koroma said that they urged INEC to stick to its tenet of credibility and integrity to ensure that the peaceful process it already started comes to a peaceful conclusion.
The leader of ECOWAS delegation said that beyond Observation Mission, they were in Nigeria alongside the AU Mission on a diplomatic engagement to ensure a peaceful transition.
“All we can do at this stage as we have done in the preliminary report is urge INEC to, where possible, improve on communication with the public and members of political parties.
“Improve on the counting and collation methods and review the uploading, because these were all systems that INEC promised to rule out without any difficulties.
“And as observers, we cannot make conclusive statements but will continue to urge INEC because there is a lot of anxiety out there, people are anxiously waiting.
“And the more we delay, the more we give room to speculations, misinformation and disinformation. So we are concerned about this.
“We will continue our engagements with INEC and other stakeholders to ensure that what has started as a relatively peaceful process will continue and end up in a manner that is acceptable to every one of us, including the Nigerian populace,” Koroma said.
Koroma said the ECOWAS and AU Observation Missions was strongly appealing to Nigerians against post-election violence, adding that the outcomes of the process would be a strong statement for the sub-region and Africa’s democracy.
“We appeal to Nigerians to remain peaceful and calm, listen to the official sources of dissemination of result and do not listen to the general social media platforms. They are disinformation and can cause problems.
“That is why as the AU and ECOWAS, beyond observation, we have now been transformed to a preventive diplomacy engagement.
“And we will continue to engage the stakeholders, INEC, political parties until the whole process is concluded and there is a peaceful transition to a new leadership.
“We urge Nigerians to complete a process started in an encouraging manner,” Koroma said.
Also fielding questions from journalists, Kenyatta said that they have tried to be as transparent as possible in reporting what they have seen, adding that the process s not over until declarations are made.
Kenyatta also urged the electoral umpire to rectify whatever challenges it is encountering so that the process can be brought to a credible and peaceful conclusion.
“The only thing I can do is join President Koroma in appealing to INEC to recognise the mood and see what the situation is to speed up the process and ensure that process of accountability and credibility that they have maintained so far.
“To continue to maintain it to the end so that true will of the good people of Nigeria shall be expressed in the leaders that they elect.
“We have no reason whatsoever to doubt the integrity of INEC. For us, it is to continue to appeal that those glitches they are having be rectified. The sooner the process is brought to a transparent conclusion, the better.
“And the only appeal we will have over and above that is to all stakeholders, political parties, the candidates to have the patience to await the final authority entrusted to do that.
“To abide by the peace accord that we all witnessed signed and whatever the outcome to follow legal and constitutional means to air whatever grievances that they may have.
“And for those who are indeed in concluding this process, to continue to abide by sworn duty to ensure that Nigerians are able to have a free and fair election that shall express true will of the people of Nigeria,” Kenyatta said.
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, thanked the AU and ECOWAS Observation Mission who came on the invitation of the ECOWAS Commissions for delivering on their mandate.
He also thanked the media for the good coverage of the elections, especially at a time where fake news have dominated the media space.
Touray said “ECOWAS will indeed follow results closely and continue to reach out to all stakeholders within the framework of our preventive diplomacy”.
AU, ECOWAS observers recommend improvements in Nigeria’s electoral process
They noted that Nigeria’s democracy is critical to the stability of the sub-region in particular and that of the continent in general.
Former President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta, who is the Leader of the AU Mission, and Former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Koroma, Leader of the ECOWAS Mission, read out the recommendations for improvement in future elections.
This is also as the mission noted that the Feb. 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections saw an improvement from past elections.e
Reading out the AU Observation Mission’s statement, Kenyatta urged the INEC to improve on logistics operations and review the allocation of voters per polling unit to ensure everyone cast their ballots within the stipulated time.
The mission urged “the government of Nigeria to uphold peace and the rule of law throughout the electoral process.
“To the Independent National Electoral Commission, review the electoral logistics operation strategy to ensure timely deployment of election materials and sufficient capacity building.
“Review voting time with a view to increasing it beyond the currently designated six hours (8.30 a.m to 2.30 p.m).
“It is anticipated that such amendments will encourage greater participation.
“Consider necessary measures to allow for voting for election officials and essential workers that may be on duty during the polling days.
“Review the allocation of voters per polling unit as a way to ensure that it is equitable, strengthening measures to enhance accessibility to polling units especially for people that require special assistance.
“Sustain efforts to regularly communicate with stakeholders throughout the electoral process.”
Also reading the recommendations of the ECOWAS Observation Mission, Koroma said that the objective of the mission was to promote peaceful, democratic, and credible polls.
“The mission, in the meantime, wishes to make the following recommendations:
“To intensify and increase the frequency of communication on developments regarding the electoral process to the general public and promptly share information in order to discourage misinformation through social media and other means.
“Ensure ongoing training of technical and ad-hoc staff to professionally handle and resolve issues related to the use of BVAS machines.
“Review the system of uploading results in real time and enhance communication on the voting and collation process,” Koroma said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AU and ECOWAS observation missions noted that until the conclusion of the process with announcement of results by INEC, it would continue to observe the process.
The mission, however, urged stakeholders and Nigerians to remain peaceful and ensure a peaceful transition to the next dispensation.
Former President of Malawi, Joyce Banda, led the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI) Observation Group to the briefing.
