Buhari vs Atiku: 2019 election did meet expectation - International election observers group by Omotayo Yusuf

- The IRI/NDI Nigeria International Election Observation Mission released its report on the 2019 general elections

- The report noted that the election fell below the expectation of many Nigerians

- The group called on INEC to take note of electoral recommendations

The joint international observation mission of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI) has released its report on the 2019 general elections in Nigeria.

Daily Trust reports that in the IRI/NDI Nigeria International Election Observation Mission final report, it was indicated that the election did not meet the expectation of many Nigerians.

The report was presented on Tuesday, June 18, in Abuja by Dr. Chris Fomunyoh, the NDI senior associate for Africa and regional director for Central and West Africa; and. Elizabeth Lewis, acting regional director for Africa division at the IRI.

The report noted that the general elections was an avenue for the country to get things right and consolidate on past efforts.

“The IRI/NDI observation mission concluded that the 2019 elections did not meet the expectations of many Nigerians. The last-minute postponement of the presidential and National Assembly elections on the morning of February 16, and delays in opening some polling units and other administrative challenges on February 23 undermined public confidence in INEC.

“While INEC distributed materials and opened polls in a more timely fashion for the March 9 gubernatorial and State Assembly elections, many serious irregularities occurred, including vote buying, intimidation of voters and election officials, and election-related violence,” it said.

The report also berated the registered political parties for remaining the weakest link among Nigeria’s nascent democratic institutions, especially with their operation on opaque candidate nomination processes that led to violence in some states and many pre-election lawsuits numbering over 800.

“The paucity of women and youth nominated to run on the tickets of the two major parties, the APC and PDP, demonstrated Nigerian political elites’ lack of commitment to opening space for new faces and new voices. Moreover, political parties and their leaders did not uphold their commitment to peaceful and credible elections, failing to restrain and hold accountable members and supporters who committed electoral offenses.”

The report called for a reform of electoral practice and urged that recommendations to improve electoral practices should be considered.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)'s national commissioner supervising for Edo, Baylesa and Rivers, May Agbamuche-Mbu, said the 2019 post election review would impact positively on future elections in the country.

Legit.ng reports that Mbu made the electoral umpire’s opinion during the post-election review of the 2019 general elections by the INEC in Port Harcourt on Monday, June 17.

She said the commission’s resolve to review the conduct of 2019 election was to enable it to identify flaws, weaknesses and strengths observed during the election.

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