The Election Mission Forum led by the former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, made the request on Tuesday.
The West African Elders Forum (WAEF) Mission on Nigeria's February 25, 2023 presidential and national assembly elections has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to thoroughly investigate all the election violations recorded and reported during the elections across the country on Saturday.
The Election Mission Forum led by the former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, made the request on Tuesday.
The request was made in a statement signed by WAEF Convener and former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and the Head of WAEF Mission to Nigeria’s 2023 and former President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama.
WAEF noted that while Saturday elections were peaceful in a number of places, challenges of delay in the arrival of electoral materials, voter suppression, ballot box vandalization and incidents of violence in some states, created anxiety among citizens who were passionate to cast their ballots.
"We commend Nigerians for the calmness, patience and maturity they have continued to exhibit as they wait for the collation process to be concluded.
"The Mission notes that some political parties and concerned citizens have raised procedural questions and allegations of infractions of the electoral law in the process of collation of results. We call on all aggrieved parties to document and present their claims to INEC, in accordance with the Electoral Act 2022.
"The Mission notes the imperative of retaining the confidence of Nigerians in the ongoing electoral process and, therefore, urges the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to thoroughly investigate those concerns and comply with the electoral law and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the process of collating the election results.
"We reiterate that Nigeria is a major stakeholder in the sustainability of democracy in West Africa and the responsibility of maintaining the nation’s thriving democracy and the general peace of our sub-region rest on all our shoulders, especially on the integrity of INEC and other election management bodies in West Africa, during elections. We therefore urge INEC to live up to its responsibility of delivering free, fair and credible elections, in accordance with the nation’s laws."
WAEF, therefore, urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to remain calm and peaceful while awaiting the final outcome of the election.
WAEF stated that as former leaders who are committed to peace and stability in our sub-region, they have begun a round of consultations with some of the presidential candidates and other key stakeholders, taking to them the message of hope, understanding and peace.
"So far, WAEF have held meetings with some of the presidential candidates including the Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso and the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in Abuja.
"This afternoon we also held consultations with the All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate Senator Bola Tinubu and the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, in an expanded meeting that included the Heads of Missions of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU), His Excellency Ernest Bai Koroma and His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, respectively, as well as the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency Dr. Omar Alieu Touray.
"We have continued, in all of these meetings, to urge the candidates and their supporters to maintain peace and use all available legitimate means to sort out their concerns and grievances. We hope to sustain this Mission until the electoral processes are successfully concluded.
"We, therefore, urge everyone to be circumspect in their actions and responsibilities, during this moment in order not to jeopardize the collective stability and peace of the nation."
WAEF explained that in December 2022, it deployed a pre-election mediation mission led by the former Sierra Leone President, Ernest Bai Koroma, to interface with key stakeholders.
"Our Election Mission led by former Ghana president, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama which has been in the country since last week, witnessed election day proceedings on February 25, 2023 and has continued to observe the unfolding developments, since the collation process began."
Other members of the Mission include former Beninoise President, Boni Yayi, former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice President of The Gambia, Fatoumata Jallo Tambajang, former Burkinabe Prime Minister and President of the Economic Community of West African States, Kadre Ouedraogo and former Deputy Chairman of the African Union, Erastus Mwencha.