EU Election Observation Mission says violence, vote-buying marred Nigeria’s polls

APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
The European Union Election Observation Mission to Nigeria 2023 has said that the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections in Nigeria on Saturday were disrupted by multiple incidents of thuggery and intimidation of voters, polling officials, observers, and journalists.
The Chief Observer, EU Election Observation Mission, Barry Andrews, in his preliminary statement of the EU EOM on the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections on Monday in Abuja said: “Polling on Election Day was disrupted by multiple incidents of thuggery and intimidation of voters, polling officials, observers, and journalists.
“Lagos, Kano, and other states in the southern and central parts were the most affected. Unfortunately, there were many casualties and fatalities. Vote-buying, also directly observed by EU EOM observers, further detracted from the appropriate conduct of the elections.”
According to Andrews, the mission observed that Nigerians have a great appetite for democracy and are keen to engage in various civic activities.
“However, in many parts of the country, their expectations were not met. Many were disappointed and we witnessed voter apathy that is in part, a clear consequence of failures by political elites and, unfortunately, also by INEC.
“Public confidence and trust in INEC were severely damaged on 25 February due to lack of transparency and operational failures in the conduct of the federal level polls.
“Up until the postponement, INEC continued to abstain from providing information, limiting its communication to a few press releases and ceremonial statements and hence failing to address public grievances and rebuild confidence in the electoral process,” he said.
He, however, noted that the collation process is ongoing, and the EU EOM is continuing its observation of this crucial phase of the elections.
“Therefore, I encourage stakeholders to be committed to visible process and address any grievances through the courts.
“In this regard, I am mindful of the fact that various aspect of the presidential election had already been brought before the court as well as the Federal House Assembly elections.
“This mission maintained strict impartial stand in accordance with our observation methodology accordingly, I do not propose to discourse matters relating to those election held in February 25th as it’s not in my place to so,” he added.
GIK/APA