Issued in Abuja: 10:30am on Friday, 23rd June 2023
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room) is following up on its report of the 2023 General Elections and is demanding for urgent national electoral reforms to re-ignite citizens confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
A post 2023 general election survey recently conducted by the Situation Room has exposed a significant dip in citizens confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Citizens now query the ability of INEC to conduct credible elections in the country. In the light of upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa in November 2023, Situation Room is worried about the credibility of INEC and its ability to conduct free elections in the light of the shortcomings experienced during the General Elections of February & March 2023.
Given the need for urgent action to be taken regarding INEC, Situation Room is calling for an independent national electoral reform panel to be set up urgently by President Bola Tinubu. Situation Room is not in any way tying its call to the outcome of the 2023 General Elections nor would we consider that this panel represent a question surrounding the results of the 2023 General Elections. Nevertheless, Situation Room’s call is being made as a national call to help salvage Nigeria’s electoral process. For the independent panel to work freely, without interference from INEC as presently constituted.
The membership of the proposed independent national electoral reform panel should comprise of independent election experts and stakeholders who will review the logistical, legal and administrative shortcomings of INEC as well as make additional reform recommendations. The reform panel should also be charged with recommending the implementation of previous electoral reform proposals that have examined the mode of appointment into INEC to remove the recruitment of partisan elements into the Commission. In addition, the panel should also recommend needed legal framework and time frame for achieving the establishment of the Electoral Offences Commission as well as the best, least expensive paths to creating and maintaining a credible Voter Register for the country, amongst other issues.
Again, this call is being made in the light of the Situation Room’s observation of 2023 General Elections, off-cycle Governorship elections and the continuing decline of citizens confidence in the management of elections in Nigeria.
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SIGNED:
Y.Z Ya’u
Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room
Mimidoo Achakpa
Co-Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room
Franklin Oloniju
Co-Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room
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The Situation Room is made up of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working in support of credible and transparent elections in Nigeria numbering more than seventy. The Steering Committee is made up of: Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), CLEEN Foundation, Action Aid Nigeria, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Emma Ezeazu Centre for Good Governance and Accountability (formerly Alliance for Credible Elections, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Kimpact Development Initiative, Democratic Action Group (DAG), Women’s Rights to Education Programme, Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), New Initiative for Social Development (NISD), Life And Peace Development Organization (LAPDO), Rural Youth Initiative, DIG Foundation, Challenged Parenthood Initiative (CPI), Centre for Health and Development in Africa (CHEDA) and Josemaria Escriva Foundation. Other groups are Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), Centre LSD, CISLAC, WARD-C, Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI), Enough is Enough Nigeria, WANGONET, JDPC, Yiaga Africa, Development Dynamics, EiE Nigeria, Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN), Stakeholder Democracy Network, Human Rights Monitor, Reclaim Naija, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR,) Nigerian Women Trust Fund, The Albino Foundation, , Electoral Hub, etc