2027 Elections: INEC Confirms Implementation of 8 Out of 23 EU Recommendations from 2023 Polls

After the general election in 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC, promised the European Union (EU) that although some of its recommendations had been put into practice, others were being addressed by the different parties involved.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of INEC, addressed the European Union’s Election Observation Follow-up Mission to Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday.

The head of the EU Election Observation Follow-up Mission, Mr. Barry Andrews, a member of the European Parliament, was in Abuja on Thursday.

Mr. Gautier Mignot, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, the Team Lead, and other Follow-up Mission experts were also present.

The purpose of the conference, which took place halfway between the previous general election and the one that is coming up, was essentially to monitor the execution of the EU suggestions.

Yakubu pointed out that eleven of the EU EOM’s thirty proposals from 2019 were expressly directed at INEC.

Eight of the proposals, he added, were classified as general, while three were designated as priority.

Only one of the 23 recommendations provided by the EU/EOM in 2023—of which 8 (34.8%) call for the Commission to take action—was designated as a priority, according to the head of INEC.

“Other branches of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as well as political parties and various stakeholders like civil society organizations, the media, and professional associations, must take action on the remaining 15 (65.2%) recommendations, five of which were designated as priority,” he said.

“The eight recommendations in your report that were specifically addressed to us have all been carefully considered by the Commission,” he stated.

Aspects of the proposals that just need administrative action to accomplish have already been addressed.

In a similar vein, while awaiting the outcome of the National Assembly’s continuing legal analysis of the proposals that call for legislative intervention, action is being taken on cross-cutting suggestions that call for cooperation between INEC and other organizationsand stakeholders.

“To this purpose, we shared with you at this meeting a comprehensive answer that the Commission has prepared to each of your direct observations. If we have time, we can review each of the suggestions.

“I must also add that during our own study of the 2023 General Election, extensive consultations with key institutions and stakeholders were held regarding your recommendations and comparable findings from other national and international election observers.

142 proposals for electoral reform are included in the evaluation report. Furthermore, more than a year ago, the Commission released our primary report on the 2023 General Election. Both reports are accessible via our website.

Elections are subject to legal regulations, as you are aware. Reviewing our electoral laws is necessary for several of your ideas. A retreat with the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters (Senate and House of Representatives) was one of the ways the Commission interacted with our National Assembly for this purpose. We request that the proposal for electoral reform be given prompt consideration by the National Assembly.

“An early bill passing is essential to our electoral preparations. As the election approaches, uncertainty regarding the legal framework may cause the Commission’s work to become uneasy.

“We eagerly await the next EU EOM for the General Election in 2027. As you are aware, the Commission has the authority to send out international Election Observation Missions. We will keep communicating with you, I want to reassure you. The Commission will shortly invite the Commonwealth, the African Union, ECOWAS, and the EU to the 2027 General Election.

“We think the suggestions you made after observing our election and electoral process will help to raise the standard of our elections and electoral activities.”