2023 Elections: We’ll Review Concerns Of Nigerians, Identify Weaknesses, Strengths – INEC Begs
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it will review the concerns of Nigerians across the country about the conduct and outcome of the 2023 general elections.
The electoral body also said it could identify the weaknesses and strengths of the commission following the elections.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known in his remark on Friday at the post-election review meeting organised by the electoral body with collation and returning officers held at Ladi Kwali Hall of the Abuja Continental Hotel.
Yakubu said, “Issues have arisen and some Nigerians have raised concerns about result management at various levels,” adding that “While some of the issues are subject of litigation and therefore subjudice, we can nevertheless discuss them broadly and most importantly share experience on the way forward.
“It is, therefore, the Commission’s expectation that at this meeting, we will identify areas of strength and weaknesses as well as the necessary reforms that we need to introduce going forward.”
He said that the commission will specifically, and from practical experience in the 2023 general election, review the perspectives of the people on the processes and procedures for recruitment, training and posting of collation and returning officers and logistics for movement to and from your places of assignment.
Other areas to be reviwed include the integrity of the collation and declaration procedure, the application of the law, regulations and guidelines for result management and the role of technology in result management.
Others include security of collation/returning officers and the collation centres, the conduct of party agents and election observers during collation, the conduct of security personnel, and any other lessons that will improve the future collation and declaration of results.
According to the INEC chairman, for the review, “It is practically unmanageable to invite all the collation and returning officers for 1,462 federal and state constituencies made up of 109 Senatorial Districts as well as 360 Federal and 993 State Houses Assembly constituencies.
“We, therefore, focused on the Senatorial Districts since they are bigger and cut across the other constituencies.
“Consistent with the Commission’s commitment, when the review engagements are exhausted, a comprehensive report will be prepared. It is therefore expected that you will share your field experiences candidly.
“We would like to hear from you and what can be done to improve this critical aspect of the electoral process.”
