#NigeriaDecides2023: Lack of transparency and operational failures undermining the credibility of Nigeria’s election - EU election observer mission

 

Photo credit: EUinNigeria/Twitter

A preliminary statement of the EU election observation mission (EU EOM) in Nigeria has cited lack of transparency and operational failures as part of factors undermining the credibility of the February 2023 general elections held in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Monday, 27^th February 2023, the EU election observer mission noted that inadequate preparation by the Independent Electoral marred the election process.

“On 25 February, Nigerians went to the polls in highly anticipated presidential and National Assembly elections that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) kept on schedule despite a volatile and challenging environment. Fundamental freedoms of assembly and movement were largely respected, yet the full enjoyment of the latter was impeded by insufficient planning, insecurity and the prevailing Naira and fuel shortages.” part of the release stated.

Touching on the operational capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the observer mission noted that “INEC’s operational capacity was hampered by the ongoing fuel and Naira shortage. Insecurity prevented it from accessing some Local Government Areas (LGAs), notably in the South. Attacks on INEC premises, including just days before polling, hindered preparations in affected areas, while instilling fear in voters. Overall, stakeholders had expressed confidence in INEC’s independence, professionalism, and voter information efforts, but this decreased ahead of elections. INEC lacked efficient planning and transparency during critical stages of the electoral process, while on election day trust in INEC was seen to further reduce due to delayed polling processes and information gaps related to much anticipated access to results on its Results Viewing Portal (IReV).”

Regarding the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the IReV for the 2023 elections, the observer mission asserts that delayed training of technical personnel, inadequate mock testing exercise, and a lack of public information on the election technologies dampened the expectations electorates had prior to the election day.

Meanwhile, the observer mission has congratulated the media for its extensive coverage of the 2023 general elections.

Read the full report by the European Union election observer mission in Nigeria here: https://bit.ly/3Z99QBW

AEP

Get the latest news and updates on elections in Africa by following us on Facebook and Twitter @africanelection.

 

#NigeriaDecides2023: Polls officially close…voting still underway in many parts of Nigeria while results trickle in other parts

Photo credit: Not Too Young To Run/ Twitter

Polls have officially close in the 2023 Nigeria elections across the country but many parts are still voting.

This is due to the delay in commencement of voting in many parts of the country, reported intimidation and pockets of violence in several parts of the country.

All four leading presidential candidates cast their ballots by the mid hours of the day.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has confirmed insurgent attacks on their officials in North Eastern Nigeria.

Meanwhile, results have started trickling in from mainly Lagos and a handful of other states. AEP sources have confirmed a slim lead for the ruling APC with Peter Obi’s Labour Party trailing them in early results.

Social media has been rife with several reports of disenfranchisement as dozens of voters in many parts of the country could not verify their names and had to wait for hours. There are also unconfirmed reports of death and injury in some parts of the country.

INEC at their second briefing of the day assured Nigerians that they are making arrangements to beef up security as the nation enters the second stage of the election process – results collation.

The commission has also made it clear that states where there were delays in voting will be allowed to continue voting beyond the stipulated time.

This is the 7th elections in the West African state since the return to democracy in 1999.

#NigeriaDecides2023 UPDATE: Voting ongoing peacefully with some reported hitches

Photo Credit: Larry Madowo/Twitter

Voting is underway at thousands of polling units across the 36 states of Nigeria and the federal capital territory, Abuja.

Polls opened at 8:30am local time for over 93.4 million Nigerian voters to elect a president, vice president and representatives for parliament - the National Assembly to steer the affairs of the country for the next 4 years.

The voting process has been generally calm so far in most areas monitored by the African Elections Project (AEP).

Despite the calm situation across most parts of the country, the voting process is not being without blemishes.

Two hours after voting was slated to start, some polling stations in Kano, Abia and Enugu states are still yet to receive election officials and materials.

There are also reported incidents of the novel BVAS machine malfunctioning. So far, the INEC has reported sending technical experts to resolve some of the reported issues.

Al Jazeera has confirmed virtually empty streets in Onitsha, Anambra state due to restrictions on movement issued on Friday.

The House of Representatives election for Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency in Edo State has been reportedly put on hold following the omission of the Labour Party (LP) logo from the ballot paper, the Nigerian Tribune confirmed.

Meanwhile the AEP can confirm that outgoing president, Mohammed Buhari has cast his vote as well as former vice-president and presidential candidate of the opposition PDP, Atiku Abubakar and his running mate.

Polls will close at 2:30pm local time, however those still in the queues before 2:00pm will be allowed to cast their ballots.

AEP

Get the latest news and updates on elections in Africa by following us on Facebook and Twitter @africanelection.

Polls Open: Over 93 million Nigerians select a new Leader for the next 4years

 

Over 93.4 million Nigerian voters are casting their ballots to elect a president, vice president and representatives for parliament - the National Assembly to steer the affairs of the country which is the most populous and biggest democracy in Africa.

Voting starts at 8:30 am and ends at 2:30 pm but voters in line before 2pm are allowed to vote, according to the Independent Electoral Commission.

This election will be the West African county’s seventh successive one marking 23 years of unbroken democratic governance.

This year’s polls will be different from previous ones because new electoral legislation and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) have been introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve electoral integrity and boost public trust in the electoral process.

The winner of the presidential election must secure a majority of votes cast and, at a minimum, 25% of valid votes in at least 24 states.

The ongoing 2023 general election features 18 candidates, with four main contenders: Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Bola Tinubu of the APC, Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

The Independent National Electoral Commission has indicated there is a 2.8 percent decline in the candidacy of women compared to 2019, with only 10.1 per cent of female candidates running.

44.4 million (47.5%) of the 93.5 million of the eligible voters in the general elections are women while women and youth form over 75 per cent of registered voters.

The Independent National Electoral Commission says the elections will not be held in 240 polling units across 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory, because no voter expressed interest in transferring their votes to those units during voter registration due to security issues.

Universities have been ordered by the Nigerian National Universities Commission (NUC) to close from 22nd February to 14th March to allow students to cast their votes in response to calls by various individuals and organisations who expressed fear over the possible disenfranchisement of Nigerian students.

The Inspector-General of Police has ordered a restriction of all forms of vehicular movement on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation, from 12 am to 6 pm on election day with the exception of those on essential services and duties such as INEC Officials, electoral observers, the press, ambulances responding to medical emergencies, and firefighters amongst others.

The winner of the 2023 election will have a challenging task at hand - to turn the fear of economic collapse into good fortunes for the country, combat insecurity, fight corruption and address the high level of unemployment in the country.

 

AEP

Get the latest news and updates on elections in Africa by following us on Facebook and Twitter @africanelection.

Will the youth break the two-party culture in Nigeria?

 

     

The significance of political parties as an effective instrument of democratic development cannot be overemphasized. In Nigeria, two main political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have dominated the political scene for a very long time. However, it looks like things are about to take a different turn in this year’s general elections. A "third force" seems to be emerging following the declaration of Peter Obi as the presidential candidate of the Labour Party.

Young people in Nigeria, unlike in the past, have made this year's presidential election, which takes place on Saturday, February 25, the most competitive since the end of military rule in 1999. The majority of the youth in Nigeria are rooting for a new political party in an effort to unseat the country’s two main political parties and bring about change in Nigeria, a country that has endured many years of stagnation, corruption, and insecurity.

The Independent National Electoral Commission reports that 93,469,008 Nigerians are eligible to vote, of whom 37,060,399, or 39.65% of voters, are between the ages of 18 and 34. This is a record-breaking number. Many believe that the millions of young people who have registered as first-timers are spurred on by the 2020 EndSars anti-police brutality protests that morphed into calls for good governance.

"If Nigeria continues on this downhill, it will be disastrous, so yes, it's a defining moment, and we the youth are committed to be part of the change we want to see" said Rinu Oduala, a 24-year-old woman who was among the protesters who camped outside the governor's office in Lagos for weeks, two years ago.

Although 18 presidential candidates are campaigning for the highest office, the presidency, the majority of the youth are rooting for 61-year-old Peter Obi of the Labour Party. Despite the fact that he is not that young or entirely new to the political history of Nigerian politics, as he has previously been the vice-presidential candidate for the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), many believe he is different because of his accessibility, simplicity, and his record of prudence with public funds when he was Anambra state governor.

However, it won’t be a smooth sail for Peter Obi.  While some back the idea it is the turn of the Labour Party to be in power, Mr. Obi, an Igbo man will face stiff competition from Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress who enjoy the backing in their home areas - the southwest and northern part of Nigeria respectively.

This year's election, in the words of the head of the Independent National Election Commission, will be "an election of young people." What this means is that if the youth come out to vote in their numbers on election day, the long-held history of two political parties dominating the political landscape may have to be rewritten.

Whoever wins the 2023 election will have an uphill task at hand - to turn the fear of economic collapse into good fortunes for the country. So far, candidates have been framing their campaign messages around issues of reducing insecurity, the economy, anti-corruption as well as the high level of unemployment in the country.

AEP

Get the latest news and updates on elections in Africa by following us on Facebook and Twitter @africanelection.

Labour Party senate candidate shot and killed 48 hours to polls

Less than 48 hours to the polls, the African Elections Project can confirm the killing of the Labour Party’s senatorial candidate for Enugu East District, Barr. Oyibo Chukwu.

The lawyer was reportedly shot and killed alongside other occupants of his branded Sienna bus on Wednesday night at Amechi Road, Enugu South Council of the state, while returning from a campaign trip in Agbani.

In a related development, the driver of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), House of Representatives candidate for Enugu South and North constituency, Hon. Offor Chukwuegbo, was killed along the same axis by gunmen.

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, in a tweet earlier yesterday condemned the killing of the senatorial candidate, Mr.Chukwu.

“I strongly condemn the killing of Barr Chukwu in all its entirety. Human lives must remain precious, irrespective of political affiliation. The mindless bloodletting that occurs in the nation is beyond depressing. We must not continue to toe this dangerous path” He tweeted.

Mr. Obi called on law enforcement agents to fish out and bring to book, the perpetrators of this crime.

Over 93.4 million eligible voters are scheduled to go to the polls on February 25, 2023 to select one amongst 18 candidates to steer the affairs of Nigeria for the next 4years.

Whoever wins the 2023 election among will have an uphill task at hand - to turn the fear of economic collapse into good fortunes for the country. So far, candidates have been framing their campaign messages around issues of reducing insecurity, the economy, as well as the high level of unemployment in the country.

AEP

Get the latest news and updates on elections in Africa by following us on Facebook and Twitter @africanelection.

#NigeriaDecides2023: Presidential Election; Where are the women?

 

The role women play before, during, and after elections cannot be underestimated. All over the world, regardless of a country’s distinct characteristics, women are regarded as fulcrums around which social, economic, and more importantly, political activities of the nation rotate.

Ahead of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission has indicated there is a 2.8 percent decline in the candidacy of women relative to 2019, with only 10.1 percent of female candidates selected by political parties.

Data available indicates that only one of the 18 presidential candidates vying for the top job; presidency in Nigeria is female. Ojei Chichi is the only female presidential candidate in this year's election and will represent the Allied People's Movement (APM). Before becoming the flagbearer of the Allied People’s Movement, Ojei Chichi was an administrator and politician from the Southern State of Delta.

Intriguingly, since the return of Nigeria to civil rule in 1999, efforts by some women to lead the country have not yielded any fruit. So far, 2003 remains the best attempt by women to occupy the presidential seat. Of the 20 presidential candidates, only two were women- Sarah Jubril of the Progressive Action Congress, and Mojisola Adekunle Obasanjo of the Masses Movement of Nigeria. Since then, the fortunes of women in Nigeria have been dwindling at the presidential polls. In 2007, there was only one woman – Mojisola Obasanjo, who garnered 4,309 votes. Similarly, in 2011, only one woman – Ebiti Ndok contested on the ticket of the United National Party for Development. The 2015 presidential election was not different; Oluremi Sonaiya, a professor, was the only female in a crowd of 14 presidential candidates. She got 13,076 votes. The presidential election held in 2019 had 73 candidates, including six women – the highest so far in the history of Nigeria’s political system.

Despite the ever-growing population of women in Nigeria, for long, women and youths have been marginalized in running the affairs of the country. Ironically, 44.4 million (47.5%) of the 93.5 million of the eligible voters in the general elections in 2023 are women. Borrowing the words of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Legos, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, "women need to be more involved in political participation to ensure accomplishment of Nigeria’s common goal—free, fair, inclusive, credible, and acceptable general elections." As such, it has become necessary to give women a chance to run the affairs of the nation considering their ever-growing population

Meanwhile, expectations are high as Nigerians prepare to go to the polls on 25th February, 2023. Whoever wins the 2023 election will have an uphill task at hand - to turn the fear of economic collapse into good fortunes for the country. So far, candidates have been framing their campaign messages around issues of reducing insecurity, the economy, as well as the high level of unemployment in the country.

 

AEP
Get the latest news and updates on elections in Africa by Following us on twitter @africanelection and like the African Elections Project Facebook page 

US Embassy issues security alert on Nigeria’s elections

 The United States Embassy in Nigeria has cautioned its citizens living in Nigeria of possible protests in the aftermath of Nigeria’s elections scheduled for February 25 and March 11, 2023.

In a notice on its website titled "Security Alert: Possible Protests Leading to Elections and Restricted Movements on Election Days," the Embassy advised its nationals to avoid rallies, warning they can turn violent with little or no notice.

According to the Embassy, the likelihood that movements will be restricted during the polls is high, and as such, it has advised American citizens living in Nigeria to have at least three days' worth of food and water at home in case movement restrictions extend beyond election days.

The notice partly read: “The Government of Nigeria will restrict the movement of all personal vehicles on election days across the country,” adding that: “Information from the Government of Nigeria indicates that only law enforcement personnel and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) accredited election observers will be allowed to move freely along the roads.

Photo Credit: US embassy, Nigeria/Twitter

“Please be advised that movement restrictions may be extended at any time. Be alert to the Government of Nigeria’s information about the restrictions.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has reassured that the Commission will not let Nigerians and the international community down in the conduct of the February 25 and March 11 elections.

Addressing a delegation from the Commonwealth Election Observer Mission, Mr. Yakubu gave the assurance that INEC is committed to delivering free, fair, and credible elections.

“INEC understands the enormous benefits of conducting credible elections, not just on Nigeria but the African continent. Election in Nigeria is huge and we understand. As I said, the responsibility rest on our shoulders. We also understand the benefits of credible elections. It will not only bring peace and good governance to our country, but the positive effects on our sub-region. I want to assure you that we will never let Nigeria and the international community down.” He stated. 

The Commonwealth Observer Mission in Nigeria, led by the former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, is confident that Nigeria will achieve credible and successful elections.

From the AEP observation, this is the seventh successive election since the end of militry rule in 1999 and believe in the resilience and determination of the people of Nigeria and we have no doubt that the country will overcome any challenges that may arise during the electoral process.  We urge all Nigerians to abide by the electoral laws and code to ensure this election is successful and credible so the country entrenches its democratic gains in peace and a better Nigeria.

 

AEP
Get the latest news and updates on elections in Africa by Following us on twitter  @africanelection and like the African Elections Project Facebook page 

#NigeriaDecides2023: 10 Facts and figures you should know about the 2023 Nigeria Election

 

1. The 2023 general election in Nigeria will be the seventh consecutive general election since the country returned to democracy in 1999.

2. The 2023 general election will feature 18 candidates, with four main contenders: Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bola Tinubu of the APC, Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

3. The 2023 elections will be conducted under a new electoral framework, the Electoral Act 2022, a law that provides a more robust legal framework for the conduct of the polls. The law gives the legislative backing for more transparent voting, collation and announcement of results.

4. 84 per cent of voters are aged between 18 and 34.

5. President Buhari’s successor will need to secure a majority of votes cast at the presidential election and, at a minimum, 25% of valid votes in at least 24 states.

6. The United Nations Women office in Nigeria has disclosed that only 1,553 of the total 15,307 candidates who would be participating in the 2023 general elections are women.

7. Lagos State has the highest number of female candidates for the 2023 general elections. APC has 102 female candidates while PDP has 72 female candidates.

8. Data published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicates that women account for 44.4 million (47.5 per cent) of the 93.4 mllion of registered voters for the 2023 general elections.

9. Women and youth form over 75 per cent of registered voters ahead of 2023, and will be the major determiner of the winners in the 2023 elections.

10. Aside the presidential vote, the public will also be choosing their representatives for parliament - the National Assembly.

#NigeriaDecides2023: Get familiar with the Presidential Candidates in Nigeria’s 2023 Elections

Over 95 million eligible voters are scheduled to go to the polls on February 25, 2023 to select one amongst 18 candidates to steer the affairs of Nigeria for the next 4years. The African Elections Project provides a profile of the leading candidates contesting the elections. 

Let's take a closer look at who the four candidates are and what they stand for.

Atiku Abubakar (PDP)

Atiku Abubakar, 76, a former vice president who has fallen short of five previous attempts since 1992, to become the next president of Nigeria, is hoping to have his dream become a reality on his sixth attempt. Born in Adamawa to a devout Muslim family, Mr. Abubakar served for two terms as the vice president to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and was credited with making reforms to key sectors that helped kickstart economic growth. Mr. Abubakar's campaign is built on his success as vice president, whereas head of the government's economic team he oversaw successful reforms in the telecommunications, pension, and banking sectors that led to jobs and GDP growth.

However, on many occasions, his critics have accused him of widespread corruption, saying he’s unfit for the top job in a country where corruption is a huge problem.

He is representing the country's main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alongside his running mate, Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Bola Tinubu (APC)

Bola Tinubu, 70, a former two-term governor of Lagos State, will lead the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) into February's Presidential election. Over the years, he has been credited with attracting foreign investment and transforming Nigeria’s public sector

In the early 1990s, Mr. Tinubu, a southern Muslim who served as a senator faces various accusations of corruption and has even been linked to allegations of drug trafficking in the US, all of which he denies.

It is believed that he will be banking on his experience in politics and huge influence across the country to win the election, where he will face stiff competition from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is standing for the main opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP), and a burgeoning campaign by the Labour Party's Peter Obi, who is hugely popular with urban voters.

If Mr. Tinubu, known as "Jagaban" by supporters, gets the top job, he would be looking to unify a country divided across regional lines, tackle widespread insecurity, create jobs, and bring down rising inflation.

Kashim Shettima, former governor of the North-Eastern State of Borno, is his running mate. 

Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP)

61-year-old businessman Peter Obi has emerged as a powerhouse ahead of February's Nigerian presidential election, leveraging social media, particularly Twitter, to send across messages of prudence and accountability.

In contrast to what his opponents claim, Mr. Obi, the former governor of the south-eastern Anambra state, presents himself as "Mr. Clean." They contend that Mr. Obi is a political impostor, one of many who emerge during election seasons with illusions of becoming a third force that will unseat the traditional parties.

He was the Vice-Presidential Candidate of the PDP in 2019 alongside Atiku Abubakar, but last year, he switched to the Labour Party (LP).

His running mate is Yusuf Baba-Ahmed, a former senator from Kaduna State.

 

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP)

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, 66, is a former defense minister and former senator who served two terms as governor of Kano, one of Nigeria's most populous states. Mr. Kwankwaso is hoping to be Nigeria's next president on the ticket of the New Nigeria People’s Party.

Mr. Kwankwaso, known for his trademark red cap, has previously been in both of Nigeria's biggest parties—the PDP and APC—before joining the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) last year.

Although analysts say he has little chance of winning the election outright, given that his power base is largely in the north, they believe he could cause a serious political upset by taking northern votes from Bola Tinubu of the APC and Atiku Abubakar, the PDP's contender.

Unsuccessful with his previous two attempts, this will be the third time Mr. Kwankwaso is seeking the country's highest office.

His running mate is Odiri Idahosa.

The Other Candidates

The other Presidential Candidates contesting in this year’s election are: only female presidential candidate, Ojei Chichi of the Allied People's Movement (APM), Kola Abiola representing the People's Redemption Party , Adebayo Adewole  of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Malik Ado-Ibrahim of the  Young Progressives Party (YPP), Okwudili Anyajike of  National Rescue Mission (NRM), Christopher Imumolen of the  Accord Party (AP), Dumebi Kachikwu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Hamza al-Mustapha of the Action Alliance (AA), Daniel Nwanyanwu of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Adenuga Oluwafemi of the Boot Party (BP), Nnadi Osita of the  Action Peoples Party (APP), Omoyele Sowore  of the African Action Congress (AAC), Peter Umeadi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and Sani Yusuf (ADP)  Action Democratic Party (ADP).

Whoever wins the 2023 election among these candidates will have an uphill task at hand - to turn the fear of economic collapse into good fortunes for the country. So far, candidates have been framing their campaign messages around issues of reducing insecurity, the economy, as well as the high level of unemployment in the country.

 

AEP

Get the latest news and updates on elections in Africa by following us on twitter @africanelection and like our Facebook page: African Elections Project Facebook. 

Former President Mbeki of South Africa to lead Commonwealth observers for Nigerian elections

Former President of South Africa, H.E. Thabo Mbeki, will lead a team of Commonwealth election observers to Nigeria, which will be holding Africa’s largest democratic exercise later this month when it holds general elections on 25 February 2023.

 

Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, constituted the Commonwealth Observer Group following an invitation from Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission.

 

As of January 2023, an estimated 93.4 million registered voters will have the right to cast ballots for presidential and national assembly candidates in 176,846 polling units across 774 local government areas.

 

Announcing the group, the Commonwealth Secretary-General said:

 

“The Commonwealth remains a committed and reliable partner in Nigeria’s continuing journey towards peaceful democratic governance. Since 1999, we have observed all six general elections in Nigeria and the deployment of this observer group is a testament to the Commonwealth’s enduring support for the promotion of the culture, processes and institutions of democracy in Nigeria.

 

“In accordance with the values and principles of the Commonwealth Charter, the work of the group seeks to promote transparency, strengthen democracy and the rule of law, and protect the right of the people of Nigeria to participate in credible, transparent and inclusive elections to shape their society.

 

“This month’s elections hold immense significance not just for Nigeria, but for the entire African continent and the wider democratic world. It is, therefore, essential that all stakeholders in Nigeria reaffirm their shared commitment to ensuring a peaceful election environment which is conducive to the free exercise of people’s franchise and in which fundamental freedoms and rights are respected.”

 

She also expressed her appreciation to President Mbeki for accepting her invitation to lead the group and to each observer for agreeing to undertake this important assignment on behalf of the Commonwealth.

 

The mandate of the group, which is independent and impartial, is to observe the preparations for the election, the polling, counting and the results process, and the overall electoral environment. The observers will assess the conduct of the process as a whole and, where appropriate, make recommendations for the strengthening of the electoral system in Nigeria.

Before deployment to different parts of Nigeria, the group will also have briefings with the electoral authorities, political parties, law enforcement agencies, the media and civil society groups representing women, youth and people with disabilities. 

 

Upon completion of its assignment, the group will submit its recommendations in a report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will forward it to the Government of Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the leadership of political parties taking part in the elections and all Commonwealth governments. The report will be made public afterwards.

 

The Commonwealth Observer Group comprises 16 eminent persons from around the Commonwealth, including politicians, diplomats and experts in law, human rights, gender equality and election administration. The full team is listed below.

 

The observers will be in Nigeria from 18 February to 2 March 2023. They will be supported by a staff team from the Commonwealth Secretariat led by Joshua Setipa, Senior Director of the Strategy, Portfolio, Partnerships and Digital Division.

  

The Commonwealth Observer Group members, in alphabetical order by country name, are:

 

• H.E. Thabo Mbeki (Chairperson), Former President, South Africa

• Ian Browne, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Electoral and Boundaries Department, Barbados

• Hon. Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Botswana

• Dr Andrew Knight, Distinguished Professor, Fulbright scholar and expert in terrorism and security, Canada

• Tara Chetty, Human rights and gender expert, Fiji

• Emmanuel Akwetey, Executive Director, Institute for Democratic Governance, Ghana

• Dr Mohamed Chambas, Former United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Ghana

• Hon. Amina Mohamed, Former Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Heritage and Culture, and former Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Kenya

• Linda Bonyo, Legal and data analytics expert, Kenya

• Seabata Motsamai, Chairperson, Lesotho Council of Non-Governmental Organizations, Lesotho

• Rt. Hon. Martin Ngoga, Speaker, East African Legislative Assembly, Rwanda

• Hon. Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, Former House Assembly Speaker, Former Minister for Women Affairs and Former Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Saint Lucia

• Dr Gregory Mills, Director, Brenthurst Foundation, South Africa

• Josephine Karungi, Journalist, Uganda

• Dr Alex Vines, Director, Africa Programme, Chatham House, United Kingdom

• Kryticous Nshindano, Former Chief Electoral Officer, Zambia Electoral Commission, Zambia
• 
  

The Commonwealth

 

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries. It is home to 2.5 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Thirty-three of our members are small states, including 25 island nations. Our member governments have agreed to shared goals like development, democracy and peace. Our values and principles are expressed in the Commonwealth Charter.  

 

Commonwealth Observer Groups (COGs)

 

The Commonwealth Secretariat is one of the original signatories to the 2005 Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation.

 

In addition, Commonwealth Observer Groups abide by the Commonwealth’s Revised Guidelines for the Conduct of Election Observation in Member Countries, which were adopted at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London in 2018.

 

These stipulate that:

 

• COGs are “independent, including of the Secretariat. Members of a COG are invited by the Secretary-General to be a part of the team and each member is invited in their personal capacity as an eminent Commonwealth citizen, not as a representative of any member country, government or political group”.

#Techtrends: All you need to know about BVAS; Nigeria’s most cutting-edge election technology

 

The biggest election in Africa will take place in Nigeria on February 13, 2023. In Nigeria's 23 years of uninterrupted democracy, this year’s election marks the seventh successive general election. In 176,846 polling units distributed across 774 local government districts, an estimated 95 million registered voters will cast their ballots, with 10 million new voters added to the voter register. A total of 12,163 candidates sponsored by 18 political parties are on the ballot for election into 109 senatorial districts, 360 federal constituencies, 993 state constituencies, 28 governorship positions, and the office of the President.

Against this backdrop, this year’s election will be different from previous ones because new electoral legislation and innovations like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) have been introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve electoral integrity and boost public trust in the electoral process.

What is BVAS?

The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is an electronic device introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission in 2021. The BVAS is essentially a small rectangular box with a screen that is more technologically advanced than the Smart Card Readers used in the past. This biometric technology has been designed to verify Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), and enable human recognition through a biometric verification mechanism, using both fingerprint and facial recognition of voters.

The device can also capture images of the polling unit result sheet (Form EC8A) and upload the image of the sheet on INEC’s Election Result Viewing platform (IReV).

IReV is an online portal where results from polling units are uploaded, transmitted, and published for the public. The portal also allows members of the public to create personal accounts to gain access to polling units’ results uploaded on the platform as PDF files

Why the BVAS is crucial for this year’s election:

INEC asserts that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) technology addresses the ten most pervasive weaknesses in Nigeria's election result management process, which include falsification of votes at polling units, falsification of the number of accredited voters, collation of false results, mutilation of results, computational errors, swapping of results sheets, forging of results sheets, snatching and destruction of results sheets, obtaining declaration and return involuntarily, making declaration and return while result collation is still in progress, and poor recordkeeping.

What if it fails?

At least three elections have employed BVAS. When it was initially used on September 10, 2021, for the byelection for Isoko South Constituency 1 in Delta State, there were reports that the system had trouble capturing the thumbs and faces of certain elderly voters.

Also, the technology was used for the governorship election in Anambra state in November 2021, there were also complaints about how well it worked because it was unable to register voters.

However, recent elections in the states of Ekiti and Osun offered the Independent National Electoral Commission the opportunity to redeem its image with regard to the use of the BVAS.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has indicated that it has trained technicians who would be on standby at polling units should the Bimodal Voter Registration System fail during the forthcoming 2023 elections. These trained technical support staff will intervene if there are any challenges with the BVAS.

Solutions

IT experts have proffered that, for the BVAS to function optimally, the device needs regular software updates and reliable broadband access.

To avoid the potential disenfranchisement of voters in the upcoming elections, INEC has been advised to conduct a thorough audit of the BVAS.

The electoral commission has also been encouraged to enhance the infrastructure behind the technology.

Also, institutions like the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) have declared their readiness to provide the Independent National Electoral Commission with telecommunications infrastructure in order to increase the legitimacy and transparency of the elections in 2023.