Civil Society Situation Room has called for an independent inquiry into the conduct of the 2023 general elections.
This is as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has admitted that diabolical behaviour from actors created difficult and unforeseen circumstances during the Governorship and States Assembly election.
The civil society organisations (CSOs) made the call in its second interim statement on the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections in Abuja, on Saturday.
In the report, the Convener, Ene Obi, and Co-coveners, Asma’u Joda and James Ugochukwu, said investigation was necessary to unravel the challenges experienced and some irregularities.
Obi said the Situation Room’s observation and analysis of the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections indicated that there were huge shortcomings with the management of electoral operations and logistics as well as election security.
She said the elections were characterised by late commencement, insufficient election materials, challenge with upload of results, violence, and vote-buying.
The civil society organisations (CSOs) made the call in its second interim statement on the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections in Abuja, yesterday.
In the report, the Convener, Ene Obi, and Co-coveners, Asma’u Joda and James Ugochukwu, said investigation was necessary to unravel the challenges experienced and some irregularities.
Obi said the Situation Room’s observation and analysis of the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections indicated that there were huge shortcomings with the management of electoral operations and logistics as well as election security.
She said the elections were characterised by late commencement, insufficient election materials, challenge with upload of results, violence, and vote-buying.
“Situation Room notes that Nigeria has, again, missed the opportunity to deliver on credible elections even at the grassroots level.
“In the light of the serious shortcomings with the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections, the Situation Room calls for an independent inquiry into the conduct of the 2023 general elections.
“This independent inquiry should address, among other issues, procurement, logistics management and abuse of electoral process by INEC and security officials.
“This is urgently needed to identify challenges and make recommendations towards repairing the damaged credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.”
According to Obi, it is imperative to undertake a national debate to address all the critical challenges that still confront Nigeria’s electoral process as this without doubt, would enthrone more transparency and help to build peoples’ confidence in the democratic process.
She said Situation Room observations indicate a worrying level of voter apathy with the governorship and state assemblies polls in an election that should resonate more with citizens.
She added that Situation Room observers reported high prevalence of vote-buying across the country.
She said items given in exchange for votes included clothing items, food items and money, amounts ranging from N500 to N5,000 in cash, transfer or promissory notes.
Obi said Situation Room observers were harassed and obstructed from carrying out their duties and some journalists from AIT, ARISE TV among others, were also attacked.
The civil society organisations (CSOs) made the call in its second interim statement on the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections in Abuja, yesterday.
In the report, the Convener, Ene Obi, and Co-coveners, Asma’u Joda and James Ugochukwu, said investigation was necessary to unravel the challenges experienced and some irregularities.
Obi said the Situation Room’s observation and analysis of the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections indicated that there were huge shortcomings with the management of electoral operations and logistics as well as election security.
She said the elections were characterised by late commencement, insufficient election materials, challenge with upload of results, violence, and vote-buying.
“Situation Room notes that Nigeria has, again, missed the opportunity to deliver on credible elections even at the grassroots level.
“In the light of the serious shortcomings with the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections, the Situation Room calls for an independent inquiry into the conduct of the 2023 general elections.
“This independent inquiry should address, among other issues, procurement, logistics management and abuse of electoral process by INEC and security officials.
“This is urgently needed to identify challenges and make recommendations towards repairing the damaged credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.”
According to Obi, it is imperative to undertake a national debate to address all the critical challenges that still confront Nigeria’s electoral process.
She said this, without doubt, would enthrone more transparency and help to build peoples’ confidence in the democratic process.
She said Situation Room observations indicate a worrying level of voter apathy with the governorship and state assemblies polls in an election that should resonate more with citizens.
She added that Situation Room observers reported high prevalence of vote-buying across the country.
She said items given in exchange for votes included clothing items, food items and money, amounts ranging from N500 to N5,000 in cash, transfer or promissory notes.
Obi said Situation Room observers were harassed and obstructed from carrying out their duties and some journalists from AIT, ARISE TV among others, were also attacked.
“The Situation Room also received a disturbing report that 19 Independent National Electoral Commission ad-hoc staff who were on their way to seven different polling units in Ugbelie Ward 06 in Ideato South council of Imo State were abducted by unknown persons.
“There were reports of attack on voting centres in an IDPs camp in Uhogwa, Ovia North East council of Edo State, by armed hoodlums.
“In addition, there were reports of voters’ intimidation, disruption of voting and destruction of election materials in polling units visited in Enugu, Imo, Sokoto, Delta, Niger, Gombe, Nasarawa, Akwa Ibom and Ogun states.”
Obi said the Situation Room called on government to urgently address the persistent issue of election violence.
Blaming others, National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, at a press conference in Abuja, said the commission did not only affect citizens but also impacted the commission’s officials and processes.
He also noted that the commission is committed to the sanctity of the process and will not hesitate to take drastic measures against proven irregularities.
The commission assured that allegations of voter inducement, harassment and manipulation of results will be reviewed and addressed.
“As Nigerians are aware, the 2023 general election is approaching its concluding stages. Arising from the presidential and national assembly elections held on 25th February 2023, the commission promised Nigerians that there will be improved processes during the governorship and state assembly elections held on Saturday, March 18, 2023.
“In keeping with this promise, we had meetings with our Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and service providers, and the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to review processes and procedures to ensure more optimal delivery of personnel and materials to various locations for the election to facilitate the opening the Polling Units on time.
“Consequently, majority of the polling units nationwide opened on schedule and citizens were attended to promptly. Similarly, there was improved voter authentication using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) while the uploading of Polling Unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) witnessed a remarkable improvement,” he said.
On the challenges faced during the election, the commission noted: “We have left no stone unturned as far as the processes and procedures under the control of the commission were concerned.
“However, for difficult and unforeseen circumstances outside the commission’s control, we did our best to respond, especially where processes were disrupted by actors over who we have little or no control.
“Such diabolical behaviour did not only affect citizens, but also impacted on the commission’s officials and processes. INEC staff, both regular and ad hoc were victims of violence. Some of our staff were abducted, harassed, intimidated, hospitalized and in one case killed.
“Nevertheless, where we could not deploy to enable citizens to vote, the commission took the decision to remobilize to such places to enable citizens to exercise their franchise. Unfortunately, we could not extend the same to areas where voting was disrupted, and election materials destroyed.
“We are keeping our eyes on those areas and would not hesitate to remobilize where the outcome of the election is affected.
“At the moment, collation of results and declaration of winners for the 28 Governorship and 993 State Assembly elections are ongoing nationwide. We are committed to the sanctity of the process and will not hesitate to take drastic measures against proven irregularities. Allegations of voter inducement, harassment and manipulation of results will be reviewed and addressed,” he said.