The Police Chaplains Electoral Observation Mission in Nigeria, and eight Domestic Observers that monitored the last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly election Wednesday described the poll as a sign of the country’s political maturity.
The mission, which is the arm of the International Police Chaplain Sustainable Development and Law Enforecement Inc., USA (IPCSL) alongside Grassroots Empowerment Initiative for Positive Change and Development, Voters Awareness Initiative, Society for the Protection of Human Rights, African Civil Society Forum, Africa Youths International Development Foundation, Pan African Leadership League, Centre for Strategic Conflicts Management, and Youth and Public Safety Awareness Initiative, monitored the election across the country.
Presenting the preliminary report on the election, the Head of IPCSL Mission, Colonel Johaness Makouvia, who was flanked by the leaders of the eight domestic election observation groups, at a press conference in Abuja, described the exercise as peaceful.
They said the process conformed with the international standard, adding that the discreet presence of the security forces in most of the polling centers allowed for the peaceful conduct of the
voting process.
“The electoral law stipulates that voting is secret and that each polling station has at least one voting booth. The Mission observed compliance with this provision in the polling stations visited. This helps to
guarantee the secrecy of the vote.
“Voting in the polling stations observed was well attended in the morning, but the pace slowed in the afternoon. Overall turnout was orderly and calm, and voters cast their ballots peacefully without major incidents. The mission found that, in general, voting procedures were followed by polling station officials.
“An average of four candidate delegates were present at each polling station. The majority of delegates were from the All Progressives Congress (APC), the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and the Labour Party (LP).
“The IPCSL found that candidate delegates were able to freely exercise their mission in the polling stations observed. This is a sign of political maturity that contributed to the normal functioning of the polling stations”, the group said.
The National Commandant, IPSCL in Nigeria, Comrade Blessing Akinlosotu, however, explained that IPCSL deployed 178 observers he Election Day and visited 2,297 polling stations throughout the country.
He said: “The IPCSL deployed 178 observers on Election Day and visited 2,297 polling stations throughout the country. Sixty-six percent of polling stations opened on time (8:30 a.m.), while 34% opened late due to late installation of equipment”.
