Two institutions, the International Republican Institute, IRI, and the National Democratic Institute, NDI, Tuesday, called for urgent national conversation to harmonise recommendations of various committees on electoral reforms.
This is even as Ambassador Ketil Karlsen, Head of European Union Election Observer Team, Tuesday said the body contributed over €100 million to support electoral reforms in Nigeria.
But the All Progressives Congress, APC, in a swift reaction, said the reports of the international observers should be ignored, saying ”we are no kids, we can take care of ourselves.”
However, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on its part, said the report by the National Democratic Institute, NDI, and the International Republican Institute, IRI warning of possible apathy in future elections showed that the 2019 Presidential poll was rigged in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the two US groups, the essence is to implement them in order to avoid facing citizens opting out of future elections.
They warned that if urgent steps were not taken and the citizens begin to opt out of electoral process, more negatives things could happen to Nigerian democracy.
The IRI and NDI, which issued the warning, during a presentation of the report of the 2019 general elections in Nigeria, however, said the elections fell below the expectations of many people when compared to the previous elections held in 2011 and 2015.
This development is coming a few days after the European Union Election Observation Mission, EU-EOM, submitted its report, which slammed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the two major parties and security agencies.
The report was presented by Dr Christopher Fomunyoh, the NDI’s Senior Associate for Africa and Regional Director for Central and West Africa and Elizabeth Lewis, the Acting Regional Director for Africa Division at the IRI, at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
Fomunyoh, who specially asked for implementation of recommendations around the 2019 general elections, expressed fears that citizens might lose confidence and become very disaffected with future electoral process.
He said: “I will just echo the response of my colleague, Lewis. I will on top of that also add that both of our organisations feel very fortunate to been accepted by Nigerians and adopted by Nigerians as viable partners in helping to strengthen democracy in this country.
“Both of our organisations are strong, often strong by the promise of Nigeria because we see the vitality of this country in human capital and material resources. We know what Nigeria can contribute to Nigerian people, to Africa and to the world.
”Lets not forget that projection of world population do show that by 2050, Nigeria may move from being the 7th to the 3rd most populous country in the world. Nigeria has a lot to offer.
“But at the same, time we are strong by the fact that the country doesn’t seemed to be punching at the level of its weight when it comes to issues of electoral practices and good governance.
“A lot has been accomplished since the transition in 1999 but there are still a lot that needs to be done. And I think once the national conscience is awaken to the fact that a lot needs to be done to give citizens confidence that their votes counts, that elections matter, that democracy matter, then we will be at that juncture we could all go home and celebrate that the country has grown to a point of no return.
“The reasons we are so adamant about ringing the alarm bell that the recommendations around the 2019 elections should be implemented is the fact that we are fearful that if those recommendations are implemented, the citizens don’t see that the political leaders are cognizant of shortcomings in the electoral process.
”Citizens may begin to opt out and will become very disaffected with the electoral process. And that means that other more negatives things could happen to the Nigerian democracy if the citizens opt out of the process.”
The IRI/NDI in their report, also blamed the political class, lack of internal democracies in political parties as well as security operatives for some of the challenges experienced during the 2019 general elections.
Noting that INEC made arrangements for a credible poll, the groups said the political class deployed high-handed tactics, including vote buying, unguarded political statements and violence, to undermine the process.
They commended INEC for introducing simultaneous voting, posting of results at polling units, improved voter-verification technologies and a more robust review and disciplinary process for INEC staff and enhancement of ballot secrecy as well as measures to reduce vote buying.
While making a case for pursuit of a comprehensive, inclusive and expeditious electoral reform process, the report said: “This process should draw upon recommendations from Nigerian-led reform initiatives such as the Uwais commission (2008) and the Nnamani committee (2017).
“These reforms should also address the challenges and lessons learned from the 2019 electoral cycle and should include the creation of appropriate institutions to oversee political parties and prosecute electoral offences, responsibilities that impede INEC’s focus on election administration.
“These reforms should be pursued immediately and completed early enough to allow changes to be fully implemented before the 2023 general elections
”Part of recommendations is to establish time limits for the adjudication of pre-election petitions to ensure that judgments are rendered before election day and early enough not to interfere with INEC’s election preparations.
“Reduce the length of time allowed for post-election disputes so the majority of petitions can be adjudicated fully before those rightly elected assume office. This might require re-examining the electoral calendar.”
Reacting to IRI/NDI declarations Tuesday, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress, said: “I am not responding to the EU or any foreign observer at all. When they did their elections, what was our response? Let us tell them that we are not kids that we can take care of ourselves.”
In its reaction, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said the IRI/NDI report showed that the 2019 Presidential poll was rigged in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Diran Odeyemi, described as shameful the fact that foreign observers were now the ones identifying errors in the nation’s electoral system and democracy.
He said: “The report vindicates the position of our party that the electoral system is in danger and democracy is under threat. The Presidential election was rigged and that is why we are at the tribunal to prove to the world that the election failed credibility test.
“Buhari has muscle the judiciary and we all remember the way the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen was eased out of the way. Now he has imposed Tanko Mohammed. Last week, they imposed their preferences of leaders at the National Assembly in the persons of Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, all in a bid to have their way all the time. We will retrieve our mandate.”’
Meanwhile, Ambassador Ketil Karlsen, Head of European Union Election Observer Team, Tuesday said the body has contributed over €100 million to support Nigeria’s electoral reforms.
Speaking at a courtesy call of the European Union Election Observer team on Nigeria and ECOWAS to the office of the speaker to present their report, Karlsen said: ”The European Union has provided over 100 million Euros to ensure Nigeria is supported from the angle of the affairs of government, Parliament and civil society.
“We seek to encourage the national dialogue and consensus as doing things late could risk jeopardizing the much needed reform process.
“There is great importance for the continuous engagement with Nigeria and the Union will continue to lean on the leadership of Parliament to increase the relationship between Nigeria and the European Union who are the biggest development partners of Nigeria as all member nations are strong individual partner of Nigeria.
“They are determined to ensure Nigerians do not suffer negativity while in this partnership. The Union is ready to continue to support in investment and wealth creation in Nigeria. We also seek more opportunities for mutual development.”
In her remarks, Hannah Roberts (Deputy Chief Observer), said: “The improvements on ground as relating to elections in Nigeria is visible, there are, however, still some shortcomings to work on.
”We have come to deliver our final reports with 30 recommendations for reform in the future so that better elections can be made in future. It is not practical to leave electoral reforms till close to the elections, as there is no time for proper implementation.
“Seven of the recommendations are critical; they are ensuring a more robust way to check results of polls, stronger transparency in voting process, better operational reform on the part of INEC.
“There is also the need for more security coordination between the different relevant security agencies, the involvement of women in the electoral process as Nigeria seems to be at the bottom in female participation in politics in Africa.
” Election Tribunals should also cover election processes so that they can be adequately informed when handling petitions after the election process and finally; to ensure the improvement of the process used to issue the licenses to media covering election processes in order to get the required divergence.”
In his remarks, , Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the House of Representatives, said: “I commend EU for the tremendous job done all over the world and particularly Nigeria.
“The recommendations reeled out will be looked into and Parliament would look into how to domesticate those beneficial as laws.
“Nigeria is ready to always follow International best practices. I commend the fact that there has been improvement in Nigerian electoral process but more needs to be done.
“Parliament will hit the ground running in terms of election reforms as the process of elections is before, during and after the elections.
“Election is the bedrock of any democracy and there is the desire to get the process right.
Nigeria is determined to get a more transparent and credible elections. We also express gladness about the partnership of the European Union and we seek collaboration on e-Parliament, one of the reforms of the 9th Assembly.
“We assure the EU of our readiness to work closer to achieve the best results possible for the Nigerian people. We promise to ensure there remains a harmonious working relationship between Nigeria and the European Union.”
