The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) West Africa has lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its conduct during the recent Edo off-cycle governorship election. This comes as a coalition of young professionals also praised INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for upholding the integrity of the electoral process.
Adele Jinadu, Chairperson of CDD's Election Analysis Centre, expressed his commendation at a post-election observation news conference on Monday in Abuja.
He noted that CDD deployed 70 accredited observers across 18 local government areas to monitor the electoral process.
Mr. Jinadu reported positive feedback from the observers regarding the availability and efficiency of INEC's Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines. "The BVAS and iReV technology efficiently carried out accreditation and were used in virtually all polling units in a timely manner," he said.
While commending INEC's overall conduct, he recommended improvements in crisis communication to boost voter confidence and curb disinformation.
He also advocated for increased voter education and collaboration with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency to mitigate weather-related issues. Additionally, he praised the electorate for their calm and peaceful conduct during the polls.
The coalition of young professionals, in a statement signed by spokesperson Habibat Ganiyu, noted that the integrity of the poll restored confidence in the electoral process, helping citizens understand that their votes will count.
The group praised INEC's use of technology, stating it minimized fraud and enhanced the efficiency of the electoral process. They emphasised the importance of transparency, stating, "INEC has been more open about their processes, allowing us to feel part of something bigger. The seamless operation of the BVAS machines, which contributed to a credible voting process, is a testament to Prof. Yakubu's commitment to conducting a credible poll."
While commending the integrity of the electoral process, the group also noted Prof. Yakubu's commitment to upholding voters' choices.
However, they expressed concern over certain unscrupulous practices by politicians aimed at manipulating the electoral process, acknowledging that it took the determination of INEC and security agents to ensure the correct results were announced.
