The Armed Forces and other stakeholders have been commended for the high display of neutrality in the recently concluded presidential election by the Independent Foreign Observers Mission in Nigeria.
In a report signed by its head of mission, Stuart Young, it stated that the neutrality exhibited by these stakeholders proved instrumental to the overall success of the election.
“There were concerns concerning the ruling party’s position towards ensuring a free and credible electoral process. These concerns were genuine given past experiences in the electoral cycle in Nigeria. The process could be classified as credible and transparent from what was observed in places monitored during the elections,” it said.
The group singled the armed forces and police for praise “for standing neutral in ensuring no interference in the electoral process.
“We commend the Armed Forces and the Police for the display of professionalism throughout the period despite the avalanche of issues in Lagos, Kano and other places hitherto regarded as hotspots during elections in Nigeria. Our team of observers in Lagos and Kano buttressed the neutrality and professionalism of the military and other security agencies deployed during and after the elections.
“It is our opinion that the professionalism displayed reflects the non-partisanship of the military leadership in Nigeria and the military’s role in preserving democracies in Africa and around the world.”
The group averred that the electoral process was transparent, and the stakeholders involved displayed a high sense of responsibility during the conduct of the elections.
“We had a strong delegation in Lagos, Delta, Kaduna, Kano and other states in the country’s South East and South East region. The reason was to ensure we garnered first-hand electoral process information. The buildup to the elections witnessed tension that was adequately transparently addressed by stakeholders.
“There were no recorded cases of interference by the government or agents of government throughout the duration of the elections. Voters were not harassed or intimidated, but in a few cases where ballot boxes were either snatched or destroyed by warring factions. However, these situations were brought under control,” the group said.
On the credibility of the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the report absolved the electoral umpire of any wrongdoing.
It stated that INEC acted within its mandate but for a few areas that witnessed the late arrival of election materials.
“There were a few areas of concern regarding the late arrival of election materials. But it didn’t interfere with or change the course of the elections. It was observed that in those areas that witnessed the late arrival of election materials, none of the eligible voters was disenfranchised. This was made possible by the commitment of the various stakeholders in the election process and at various locations across the country.
“Incidences of vote buying or ballot box snatching were reduced to the barest minimum during the election. Our team attributed this partly to the presence of security operatives and other stakeholders that ensured law and orderliness. The allegation of rigging and other sundry issues remains in the realm of speculation and not necessarily a reflection of the reality on the ground,” it said.
The report concluded that the 2023 presidential elections in Nigeria were free, fair and credible and reflected the people’s wishes.
“The 2023 presidential election in Nigeria was keenly contested and goes down in history as one of the most transparent elections in the country’s annals. The Independent Foreign Observers Mission rates the election as transparent and reflects the people’s wishes. It is also a drastic improvement from previous elections conducted in the country.
“The Independent Foreign Observers Mission rates the election as transparent and reflects the people’s wishes. It is also a drastic improvement from previous elections conducted in the country. It commends the security agencies and other stakeholders that saw to the success of the elections.”
It would be recalled that there was agitation in some quarters concerning the credibility of the elections, citing the falsification of figures by the Independent National Electoral Commission in favour of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
