Some domestic observers accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission to monitor the 2019 general elections have scored the electoral body and security agencies high in their handling of last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.
The coalition of 18 observer groups said the institutions scored over 80% because they did their job professionally.
The groups include the African Initiative for Sustainable and Positive Development, Future Leaders Global Initiative, Northern Patriotic Front, Patriotic Women Foundation, Nigeria Vote-Count Campaigner and Centre for Grassroots Development and Crime Prevention.
The National Coordinator of Organisation of Justice for Equity Sustenance, Mr Tunde Babafunsho, who addressed journalists in Abuja on Wednesday on behalf of the coalition, commended INEC for its contributions to the success recorded in the elections.
He said, “Conducting elections anywhere is never an easy task and it requires the collective input of all stakeholders, including political parties, security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders as well as the entire citizens.
“It is our considered view that the postponement of the presidential/National Assembly elections originally slated for February 16 evidently helped in putting certain measures in place that led to the success recorded eventually on February 23 rescheduled date.
“There is also no doubt that the 2019 general elections showed an appreciable improvement on the previous process of 2015.
“We wish to place on record that both sensitive and non-sensitive materials for last Saturday’s elections arrived their various destinations on schedule and were adequate for the conduct of both elections.”
The coalition said voter turnout was overwhelming as stakeholders witnessed the sorting of ballots, counting and recording of result sheets signed by all concerned and collation of result at the various collection centres.
“All stakeholders that participated in the 2019 presidential/National Assembly elections performed their roles towards the sustenance of a credible, peaceful, transparent electoral process.”
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