Pre-Election
Press Statement: march 23rd 2019 supplementary elections
Monday 18th
March, 2019 4pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
After
the March 9th 2019 Governorship, State Houses of Assembly, FCT Area
Council elections several of the races were declared inconclusive in compliance
with the Margin of Lead principle
which is derived from Sections 26 and 53 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended)
and the INEC Regulations and
Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections issued as a Decision Extract of the
Commission on the 12th day of the month of January 2019 states in paragraphs 41
(e) and 43(b).
A
total of six states had their governorship elections declared inconclusive.
Details of this are provided later in this press release. There were also a
number of state constituency elections declared inconclusive as well. The
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has slated these elections to
hold on Saturday 23rd March 2019. However, in its press statement of
March 15th 2019, INEC basically stated that it intends to continue
with the collation of results in Bauchi State on Tuesday 19th March
2019 even though this decision seems to not be going down well with all
political parties in the state.
INEC
has also come out with a statement on the elections conducted in Rivers State
on March 9th 2019. It has said that the level of collation across
the state has been ascertained and intends to complete the collation process
expeditiously. INEC says that it will
issue detailed timelines and activities for the completion of the election on
Wednesday March 20th, 2019.
There
are reports of inappropriate conduct of some of the security agencies in some
cases in the March 9th elections. While it is clear that some
security breaches may have some security personnel being complicit, it is clear
that the vast majority of security agents across the country were professional
in their conduct. There is a need for adequate disciplinary actions (and if
necessary legal) actions to be taken against erring security agents, however
the misconduct of some officers does not reflect nationwide conduct of security
agents across polling units and collation centres on the 9th and 10th
March 2019. For example as there were reports of security interference in
Rivers State, there were also reports of commendable conduct from security
agencies in Kano State.
INEC
has made good efforts to sensitize the public on the developments regarding the
inconclusive and suspended elections. This should be sustained as the elections
draw nearer.
Election
Monitor makes the following recommendations:
Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC)
·
Since
the elections in six states (Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto)
were determined inconclusive and not suspended as in Rivers State, then either
supplementary elections should hold in all six states (as originally announced)
or further investigations should be made into all six states to determine if
there are discrepancies which might necessitate not having supplementary
elections. The key here is that a uniform approach should be applied to all six
states.
·
INEC
should continue to engage the public and consider at least one press briefing
before the supplementary elections hold on Saturday 23rd March 2019.
·
For
increased transparency INEC should consider publishing the full list of LGAs,
Wards/Registration Areas, and Polling Units where the supplementary elections
are scheduled to hold on its website no later than 72 hours before the
elections. It is also critical to state the number of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs)
collected in each polling unit as well, as of the 11th February 2019
when PVC collection was suspended nationwide.
·
INEC
needs to assure stakeholders in Rivers State during the upcoming Stakeholders
Meeting in the state of the integrity of the election results so far available
until the suspension of elections in the state. All political parties should be
allowed to inspect the results available at all levels and compare with copies
issued to them during the election.
·
INEC
should urgently consider providing a copy of Form EC40G for party agents just
as it does for results sheets at polling units and each level of collation.
This will dramatically increase transparency and accountability of the
collation process especially as regards the collation of cancellations which
are critical in determining whether elections will be conclusive or not.
Nigeria Police
Force (NPF) and other security agencies
·
The
Nigeria Police Force has performed largely commendably in these elections.
However it is important that the Inspector General of Police ensure he reminds
his officers that partisanship is not expected and will not be condoned from
any officer no matter how highly placed.
·
The
Police should publicise the number of election offenders arrested during the
March 9th state elections as it did for the presidential and NASS
elections.
·
The
military have clearly defined roles in elections which include support with election
logistics, support for the police if required etc. However interfering in the
electoral process is not one of them. For this reason there is a need to look
into the conduct of the military in the 2019 General Elections. The Nigerian
Army has set up a panel to do this for the Army and even reassigned some of its
generals which is commendable. However this is not enough as it is not
autonomous.
·
All
security agencies deployed for the supplementary elections should ensure that
they conduct themselves in a professional and neutral manner.
·
The
Police need to investigate the source and authenticity of messages pervading
social media targeted at discrediting the electoral commission. Where such
information is found to be false the Police should bring the people behind it
to book as such information is not only misleading but inciting which is not
helpful in maintaining the peace.
·
While
security for all Nigerians is critical, attacks on journalists is condemnable.
This must not reoccur. The security
agents need to synergise to ensure that the supplementary elections are
peaceful for all.
Federal Government
·
Election
Monitor calls on The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari as the head of the nation’s
military to institute a thorough assessment of the entire military’s role in
the 2019 General elections outside the command and control of the service
chiefs. This is to ensure that all relevant issues are identified which can
then be appropriately addressed.
·
Election
Monitor commends the Federal Government for banning the Boeing 737 Max 8
Airplanes from operating in Nigerian airspace as many other nations have done.
However there is a need for government to invest more in general aviation
safety and thorough inspection of all planes flying in, within and out of
Nigeria.
Political
Parties
·
Politicians
should refrain from making allegations against the electoral management body
without proof as these will only heat up the polity and mislead the public.
·
Political
parties should endeavour to deploy trained, competent, well equipped (biro,
phone, notepad, tablet if possible etc) and loyal party agents during the supplementary
elections.
Media
·
The
media are enjoined to keep their beam on the supplementary elections. Live
coverage of collation has enhanced transparency of the collation process to
some extent and should be sustained as much as possible.
·
Election
reportage needs to be as factual as possible and sensationalism should be
avoided. Issues should be reported in context. For example if smart card
readers fail in one hundred out of ten thousand locations, then this is
equivalent to one percent (1%) of locations. While this is not good, it is
however not a massive failure. Care should be taken to describe incidences as
accurately as possible.
International
Observers
·
Election
Monitor commends international observer missions who will be extending their
stay in Nigeria to observe the supplementary elections as these will provide a
unique opportunity for further observing the electoral process in the country.
·
Election
Monitor also encourages foreign observer groups to get as wide a sample as feasible
when assessing the general opinions of Nigerians towards election conduct.
Domestic Observers
·
Local
observer groups are encouraged to observe the supplementary elections as much
as is possible.
·
When
assessing the conduct on an election in relation to other elections, it is
pertinent to do this on a comparative basis leveraging sufficient data points
so as to increase objectivity.
Election
Monitor encourages citizens and all stakeholders to remain peaceful and law
abiding before, during and after the elections.
Voters
in the affected locations should reverse the trend of low voter turnout in
these supplementary elections as this will make the elections more credible.
God
bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Signed
Abiodun
Ajijola
National Coordinator
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