Lumanze Chiamaka
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has convened a post-election review meeting to assess the recently concluded 2023 General presidential and legislative elections. The meeting, attended by State Collation Officers for Presidential Elections (SCOPEs) and Senatorial District Collation officers (SDROs), aimed to analyze the challenges and successes of the electoral process and draw valuable lessons for future elections.
The meeting, presided over by the Honorable Chairman of INEC, emphasized the Commission’s constitutional mandate to prepare and conduct all public elections and referenda. On February 25th, 2023, citizens across Nigeria exercised their democratic rights by casting their ballots in the General presidential and legislative elections. The second round of elections, including gubernatorial and state assembly elections, took place on March 18th, with supplementary elections held in several states on April 15th, 2023.
Addressing the SCOPEs and SDROs, the Chairman highlighted the significance of the post-election review, reiterating that such reviews are a customary practice following any successful election. The meeting aimed to comprehensively evaluate the various issues and challenges faced during the electoral process and glean essential insights to enhance future election planning.
INEC strategically employs lecturers and Vice Chancellors from Federal Universities as SCOPEs and SDROs due to their demonstrated honesty and integrity. These personnel play critical roles in conducting elections and directly interact with INEC staff and political stakeholders, often in potentially volatile environments.
During the review meeting, the SCOPEs and SDROs shared their wealth of experience and perspectives on the collation and declaration of election results, highlighting the inherent challenges they encountered and the strategies employed to overcome them. The discussions centered around the question of how well they performed their duties during the election, emphasizing the need for continual improvement in election procedures.
“Is no doubt that you have acquired wealth of experience in discharging your duties, during collation and declaration of results, which come with issues, challenges and lessons learnt.
Today, we are here to attend to the question of “how far and how well” we performed in our respective duties during the election”.
Speaking on behalf of the Honorable Chairman, a senior INEC official expressed gratitude to the participants for their commitment to the electoral process. The official emphasized the importance of the valuable insights gathered from the field personnel, which would significantly aid the Commission in refining its election planning for the future.
As the post-election review meeting concluded, the focus remains on incorporating the recommendations and lessons learned from the field personnel into INEC’s strategies and procedures for upcoming elections. With the commitment of all stakeholders, INEC strives to continually enhance the integrity, transparency, and effectiveness of Nigeria’s electoral processes.
