EU-EOM Doubts Credibility Of Nigeria's 2023 Elections *** Presidency Ridicles Report As LP, PDP Knock Tinubu

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja

Despite assurances by the former President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration that the 2023 general elections were free and fair, the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has faulted the credibility of the exercise. 

This was even as the EU EOM disclosed that the election exposed enduring systemic weaknesses,  which signaled the need for further legal and operational reforms to enhance transparency, inclusiveness and accountability.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, the Chief Observer of EU EOM, Barry Andrews, said that his team carried out its work between January 11 and April 11, 2023, on the invitation of the Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC). 

News Rider reports that INEC had declared Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the February 25, 2023, controversial election, just as the Presidential candidates of Labour Party (LP) and  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar respectively, are contesting the result at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, Abuja. 

Andrews hinted that a delegation of the European Parliament joined the EU EOM for the observation of the Presidential and National Assembly elections, and that the mission accredited a total of 110 observers from 25 EU Member States, as well as Norway, Switzerland, and Canada.

He noted that Nigerians demonstrated a clear commitment to the democratic process in the lead up to the 2023 general elections.

The chief observer stated that the shortcomings in law and electoral administration hindered the conduct of well-run and inclusive elections and damaged trust in INEC.

To this end, the EU EOM offered 23 recommendations for consideration by the Nigerian authorities that would contribute to improvement of future elections, pledging to support Nigeria in the implementation of the recommendations.

Andrews said: “We are particularly concerned about the need for reform in six areas which we have identified as priority recommendations, and we believe, if implemented, can contribute to improvements for the conduct of elections.”

The six priority recommendations were to remove ambiguities in the law; establish a publicly accountable selection process for INEC members; ensure real-time publication of and access to election results; provide greater protection for media practitioners; address discrimination against women in political life, and remove impunity regarding electoral offences.

He harped on the need for political will to achieve improved democratic practices in Nigeria, insisting that inclusive dialogue between all stakeholders on electoral reform remains crucial.

INEC Vows To Harmonise Report 

Reacting, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, vowed to harmonise all the reports by international observers and examine it holistically.

He added that: “From the report presented, the EU made mention of the fact that there have been significant improvements in our electoral process and there have been so many positives to this particular election.

“One of the positives is that we registered over 93 million Nigerians during this election. Not only that, if you look at the reports submitted by international observers, in terms of voters accreditation, the BVAS performed optimally.”

Okoye admitted that there were flaws, assuring that  the recommendations from international observers would be implemented.

He said: “But there were also a few challenges and looking at those challenges, one must look at the context and the environment of the election.

“Insecurity was in some parts of the country, which we cannot dispute. Secondly, violence was targeted at our staff and some Nigerians. Fuel scarcity and naira redesign also were challenges.”

Okoye noted that the recommendations were made on administrative and legal issues, promising to implement them.

Presidency Ridicles EU Report 

The Presidency has ridicled the European Union’s final report, which highlighted the discrepancies in the February 25 presidential elections.

Mr Dele Alake, Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy to President Tinubu rejected any notion and idea from any organisation, group and individual remotely suggesting that the 2023 election was fraudulent. 

In his statement titled: ‘We reject European Union’s conclusions on 2023 general elections,’ the presidency alleged plans to impeach the integrity of the 2023 elections, which it described as the best organised general elections in Nigeria since 1999.

The Presidency faulted the data-gathering technique employed in the report, adding that with the level of personnel deployed by the EU-EOM, which was barely an average of one person per state, that how did they independently monitored the elections in over 176,000 polling units across Nigeria. 

Alake insisted that the 2023 general elections, especially the presidential election won by President Tinubu and the APC were credible, peaceful, free and fair.  

He noted that there was no substantial evidence provided by the European Union or any foreign and local organisation that is viable enough to impeach the integrity of the 2023 election outcomes.

While describing the findings as unfounded, he said that it is time to let Nigerians and the entire world know that they were unaware of the machinations of the EU.

“We are convinced that what EU-EOM called the final report on our recent elections is a product of a poorly done desk job that relied heavily on a few instances of skirmishes in less than 1000 polling units out of over 176,000 where Nigerians voted on election day,” he concluded.

LP Lambasts Presidency Over Report

The National Leadership of the Labour Party has described the EU's report as one out of numerous submissions by other lnternational Observers that the  2023 Presidential election did not reflect the will of the majority of Nigerians.

This was even as the party noted that the Federal Government's debunking of EU's report was an afterthought and a shameless effort to mask the obvious.

The Acting National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh hinted that the Federal Government's denial amounted to face-saving measure, feeble and medicine after death.

“Even the blind can see, the deaf can hear and they know this election was manipulated.”

He disclosed that Nigerians already know the true winner of the 2023 presidential election, saying that no amount of slander, denial, or rebuttal can change the fact that the party in power has no mandate of the electorate.

Ifoh was optimistic that the judiciary would dispense justice without fear or favour in the interest of the nation and posterity.

He said that INEC connived with the Federal Government to deny the electorate their choice of leaders, which confirmed that INEC was not independent.

“The Commission’s action is at the whims and caprices of the government and we know it. But Nigerians are looking to the Judiciary for justice. That’s where we stand," he added. 

PDP Describes EU's Report As Credible 

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign has described the report of the European Union Election Monitoring Group on the 2023 general elections as credible. 

Mr. Phrank Shaibu, Special Assistant on Public Communications to the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, knocked the Presidency for discrediting the report. 

He stated in Abuja on Sunday that 'even the dead' knew that the last election lacked credibility and the INEC had been unable to explain why nearly five months after the election, it failed to upload the full result on its viewing portal.

Shaibu, said, “Even primary school children who did not vote know that INEC failed woefully and that Tinubu rigged the last election.

“The Presidential election held on February 25, 2023 and yet as of July 3, 2023, the result of the Presidential election has not been fully uploaded. This is despite the fact that this election was the most expensive in the history of West Africa.

“How can an election in which the full results have not been fully uploaded after nearly five months be described as credible by any sane human being?”

He described as nonsensical Alake’s claim that the EU was a meddlesome interloper for discrediting the poll.

Shaibu lamented that it was hypocritical of the Nigerian government to receive millions of dollars from the EU as election fund and then turn around to claim that the EU has no right to make comments on the election.

He added: “The EU said in September last year that it budgeted 39 million euros for Nigeria’s 2023 election. Most of the funding went to INEC as election support.

“The EU not only provided training for INEC staff but also donated equipment only for INEC to conduct a shambolic poll. So why will Alake claim that the EU has no right to speak when it was the largest single donor to INEC? Mr Alake should rather be quiet rather than try to defend the indefensible.”

Shaibu pointed out that the results in states like Rivers showed that the election was far from credible.

He lamented that Tinubu is on the verge of appointing Wike as a minister as a reward for the disgraceful election, adding that it was shameful for Tinubu to have claimed that he fought for the actualisation of June 12.

Shaibu said, “The Presidential election in Rivers State was clearly rigged as evidenced by what INEC has uploaded on IREV. So far, nearly 300,000 Nigerians have signed a petition on change.org demanding visa ban against Governor Wike."

The special assistant enjoined the United States and the United Kingdom to speed up the process of imposing visa ban on election riggers.

He pleaded with them to also reveal the identities of those implicated in election rigging especially staff of INEC and members of the ruling APC.

"The report of EU-EOM like all other reports on the 2023 Presidential Election is not different from the facts our legal team led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN have placed before their lordships at the Presidential Elections Petitions Court. We are encouraged by the presence of the manifold brave and audacious men and women of the Bench in our judiciary. 

“We know that, very soon, those distinguished and imperial dispensers of justice in our present day judiciary shall deliver a judgment that will be pure as the driven snow and not tainted by gravies and or bullied by coercion from characters with iniquitous power."