EU observers say Nigeria records significant improvement in 2019 elections

Bayo Waha

June 15, 2019 8:43 PM

The EU observers said Nigeria has implemented some of its recommendations in 2015.

Election observers say Nigeria records significant improvement in 2019 elections. (Premium Times)

The European Union observer mission has said in its final reports that Nigeria recorded significant improvement in the 2019 general elections.

In the reports submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the elections observers states that Nigeria has implemented some of its recommendations in 2015.

The Chief observer and leader of the mission, Marie Arena said this while presenting the report to INEC in Abuja on Saturday, June 15, 2019.

Marie said some of the items that were listed for recommendation in 2015 and have been implemented include: “the development and maintenance of a functional voter register, the merger of the accreditation and voting processes for ease for voters, improving the sanction powers of INEC, increasing the number of polling units, immediate display of results in collation centres, more involved participation of civil society and citizen observation among others.”

The mission has been monitoring Nigeria general elections since 1999, and in its earlier reports, the EU observers highlighted some serious issues with the conduct of elections in the country.

According to TheCable, the mission in 2003 said the elections held under former President Olusegun Obasanjo were “marred by serious irregularities and frauds.

“In a number of States the minimum standards for democratic elections were not met. EU EOM observers witnessed and obtained evidence of widespread electoral fraud,” it had said.

The mission also said the 2015 general elections were marred “by incidents of violence, abuse of incumbency at state and federal levels, and attempts at manipulation.”

However, in a separate report by Sahara Reporter, the mission was reported to have said the 2019 elections were not transparent.

According to the Online News Platform, the mission was quoted to have said that general elections were not transparent and were marred by violence, harassment, and intimidation.

Bayo Waha