By News Editor, Abuja
The Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu has denied that the Commission receive high amount of money from Development Partners before the 2023 General Election noting that there was no evidence to prove that the Commission receive any funds from anybody.
Yakubu made this denial in a remark during a meeting with Civil Society Organisations, CSOs on the review of the 2023 General Election held at the INEC Conference Centre in Abuja stating that the support the commission received was indirect through the Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, adding that it has been a longstanding policy of the Commission.
He explained further that despite election observers were duly accredited both domestic and foreign, he said it sad that the reports submitted by them are scanty giving room for lack of commitment in election management participation.
According to him: ” It is necessary to seize this opportunity to correct the impression in some sections of the public that the Commission received huge sums of money from development partners for the election. On the contrary, and for the avoidance of doubt, the Commission did not receive any direct funding or cash support from international development partners.
” Rather, their support was totally indirect through civil society organisations and implementing partners working on elections. Indeed, it has been a longstanding policy of the present Commission not to receive direct funding and cash transfers from sources other than the Federal Government of Nigeria. We hope that we shall continue to have this type of productive partnership with civil society and development partners in the future.
” It is in furtherance of this partnership that the Commission accredits observers because the feedback we receive, and their actionable recommendations have been very helpful to the electoral process. For the 2023 General Election, the Commission received 538 requests (504 domestic and 34 foreign) for accreditation as observers. After a thorough evaluation of the requests, only 228 groups (190 domestic and 38 foreign) met the requirements for accreditation.
” However, so far, only 67 observer groups (62 domestic and five foreign) have so far submitted their observation reports which represents just about 30% of the accredited groups for the election. We urge all accredited observer groups that are yet to submit their reports to do so in earnest.
” In addition to the review of the last general election, the Commission would like to share with you our plans for the upcoming bye-elections and preparations for the off-cycle Governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States scheduled for Saturday 11th November 2023″, he stated.
The INEC Chairman however said it express its appreciation to civil society organisations and development partners for their enormous support to the Commission during the 2023 General Election reiterating that the support the commission got was in the form of technical advice, civic and voter education, organisation of meetings and capacity-building workshops, as well as the publication of documents.
Speaking on behalf of the Civil Organisations, CSOs, Faith Nwadishi of Centre for Transparency Advocacy noted that aside what the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu explained that the Commission experience a glitch in IREV during the presidential poll, she urged the commission to provide information on what really happened with the the IREV without interfering with the court process suggesting that it will give the group a better understanding.
She experess disappointment over the low turn out of reports by Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, stressing that upon the accreditation given out to them, the tun out reports was a low point in observation reports.
Nwadishi said: ” know sir that in your statement you mentioned that the issue of IREV is still in court and it’s something you want to suspend comment on but within the purvey of what will not affect what is in court we hope you can throw light on while IREV couldn’t do what it was supposed to do especially in the presidential election.
” And also to note that out of 228 accredited civil society groups only 67 turn in their reports. This is not very good, I will encourage my colleagues to put in the same efforts they put in for application to ensure they do the same to submit their reports. Because over the years I have noticed that the recommendations we put in our reports are taken on by INEC.
” This has brought some of the reforms we have seen in our electoral process. So, 30 percent of 228 accredited observer groups that have submitted their reports several months after the election is not a good outing for us. I will appeal to us in line with the collaboration we have with INEC to send in our report.
” I also want to acknowledge the role that the political actors have continually played in undermining our elections. I hope that some day we can have a meeting of INEC, political parties and civil society in one room ironing out some of these issues. We commend the conduct of 2023 election but like I said earlier, let me reiterate that we want to know what happened to IREV in the presidential election without going into the what is before the court.
” More importantly in your speech you acknowledged and indicted some INEC staff in undermining the election and we are looking forward to the prosecution of this INEC staff that have been indicted. Also, we know that the suspended INEC commissioner of Adamawa state is currently under prosecution which is a positive development”, she stated.
She commended her colleagues in the civil society for the roles they played in 2023 election, working with INEC and other stakeholders that led to the turnout of the election that the nation had.
“We are hoping that this meeting will be the meeting where we will all be able to speak objectively and give that feedback to INEC”.
