The International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) He said on Monday that the 2023 Nigerian presidential election did not meet the legitimate and reasonable expectations of Nigerian citizens.
The duo in a joint preliminary report highlighted logistical failures, challenges with voter registration and voter card distribution, inadequate communication by INEC, lack of transparency in the publication of electoral data, and political violence. uncontrolled before and during the elections as reasons for holding them. .
The report noted that these shortcomings “overshadowed the incremental administrative gains made in the pre-election period and prevented a substantial number of citizens from participating in the vote.”
The NDI-IRI also blamed the ongoing cash crunch and fuel crisis for placing “undue burdens” on voters and election officials, while marginalized groups, especially women, continued to face barriers to seeking and obtaining political office. .
He added that the challenges of logistical and electoral insecurity were foreseeable and avoidable, but became a missed opportunity when INEC failed to address them. Logistical challenges led to delays in the start of voting in most parts of the country, he said.
“In addition, voter confidence in the process has been considerably affected by INEC’s lack of transparency about the cause and scope of the election day challenges,” he added.
He praised Nigerians who, despite these challenges, “demonstrated once again their commitment to the democratic process, demonstrated extraordinary resilience and determination to make their voices heard at the polls, often waiting several hours due to logistical deficiencies.” .
The NDI-IRI also regretted the violation of the electoral law on guidelines for the installation of polling stations.
recommendations
As part of its report, it recommended that INEC engage in proactive, regular, and transparent communications and outreach with the Nigerian public and relevant stakeholders related to election developments, election delays, cancellations, etc., and make such information immediately available on your website.
INEC should consider redesigning the voting booth to ensure voting secrecy and improve accessibility for people with disabilities. In addition, legislators and the INEC must work together to guarantee contingency financing that can inoculate against economic and other unforeseen crises.
Other recommendations include that INEC distribute voters more evenly among voting units and consider adjusting the number of poll workers assigned to each voting unit based on registered voters to reduce waiting time in lines and complete the processes of classification and counting of ballots.
INEC and civil society should scale up voter and civic education efforts well in advance of election day to improve citizens’ application of procedures and understanding of the electoral process.