No foreign partner funded INEC for 2023 elections, says Mahmood

In a meeting with civil society organisations (CSOs) to review the 2023 general election, Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), categorically denied allegations that the election umpire received direct funds from international development partners.

The meeting, held on Monday, July 24, 2023, sought to address concerns and gather feedback from various stakeholders following the February 25 presidential election.

The denial came in response to Phrank Shaibu's earlier claims. Shaibu, an aide to Atiku Abubakar, the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had alleged that the Federal Government received €39 million from the European Union (EU) as funding for the 2023 election. He further claimed that the EU had reported the election as rigged, leading to tensions between the government and the foreign entity.

However, Yakubu clarified that the support from international partners was not in the form of direct financial contributions to the election process. Instead, he emphasised that the aid was entirely channeled through civil society organisations and implementing partners actively involved in electoral matters.

The Chairman reiterated that the INEC has consistently adhered to a longstanding policy of not receiving direct funding or cash transfers from sources other than the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Yakubu acknowledged the significance of productive partnerships with civil society and development partners. He commended their valuable contributions to the electoral process, particularly in providing feedback and actionable recommendations.

To illustrate this, Yakubu highlighted the accreditation of observers for the 2023 general election. A total of 538 requests for accreditation were received, with 504 domestic and 34 foreign organisations applying. Following a thorough evaluation, 228 groups (190 domestic and 38 foreign) met the accreditation requirements.

However, the INEC Chairman expressed concern over the slow response from accredited observer groups in submitting their reports. Out of the 228 accredited groups, only 67 have submitted their reports so far, representing just about 30% of the total. Yakubu urged all accredited observer groups that have not yet submitted their reports to do so promptly to aid the electoral process's transparency and accountability.