SaharaReporters had reported that the presidency denounced the EU EOM final report on the 2023 general elections which was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, recently.
A civic organisation, the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has expressed dismay over the uncharitable wave of attacks on the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) over its report on the 2023 presidential election which pointed some irregularities that undermined and tainted the credibility of the poll.
CHRICED which stated this on Wednesday in statement signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Ibrahim Zikirullahi, backed the EU Mission's report, stating that a wide range of qualitative and quantitative data generated by civic organisations across the country revealed widespread flaws and irregularities that put question to credibility of the poll.
SaharaReporters had reported that the presidency denounced the EU EOM final report on the 2023 general elections which was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, recently.
It had also been reported that a former aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode slammed the European Unions over the report, which also labelled him and for Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo as purveyors of fake news during the elections. He said had said that the report in "itself the biggest and best example of fake news and it belongs in the dustbin".
But reacting to the barrage of criticism, the civic organisation condemned the onslaughts, describing the ill-tempered press statement from the Presidency denouncing the report as unfortunate.
"For us, the statement credited to the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy gives the impression to Nigerians and the international community that current power holders are unwilling to learn the key reform-related lessons from the 2023 General Elections.
"Since 1999, the European Union (EU) has been a strategic partner in Nigeria's democratic process. The contributions EU has made over the years to deepening democracy in Nigeria cannot be dismissed with an ill-advised press statement from the presidency.
"As an important instrument for the leadership recruitment in the country, the electoral process and issues connected to it, are too important to be trivialized. Instead of the grandstanding and sophistry, those who claim to be democrats and progressives must put aside their egos and accept the flaws, which have made their so-called mandate questionable in the eyes of the public.
"It is therefore preposterous and indicative of a lack of willingness to right the wrongs for key officials of the state to unjustly castigate national and international organisations that are dispassionately calling for comprehensive electoral reforms in Nigeria."
CHRICED stated that having taken time to read through the EU EOM report unequivocally stated that the issues raised in the report are consistent with what credible, nonpartisan civil society organisations noted in their post-election observation reports.
"It is therefore expected that in response to the identified defects, patriotic statesmen and women, as well as well-meaning citizens would come together to champion the needed reforms to clean up Nigeria’s elections such that they truly become free, fair and credible in the future.
"Consequently, the EU EOM report simply presented these issues, and to its credit, the Mission did not only identify the issues observed during the process, but also provided practical and actionable recommendations to the relevant institutions of Nigerian State and society. For instance, the report made reference to states including Rivers, Lagos, Imo, and Abia, which experienced “high levels of orchestrated violence during the campaigns and on election days.”
"As part of its findings, the report accurately stated: “Overall, the widespread anticipation for well-managed elections were dashed by a flawed process leading to widespread public disappointment and concerns about increasing voter disenchantment.”
Concerning the Presidential election, the report's findings aligned with CHRICED's assessment that on February 25 "voting was critically delayed by the late arrival of sensitive materials and, during the early stages of the collation, presidential result forms from polling units were not displayed in real-time on the IReV as promised by INEC and expected by stakeholders...."
The group, however, urged groups like MURIC (Muslim Rights Concern) to be guided in their action and utterances by adhering to the Quranic injunction, which says “O ye who believe! be strict in observing justice, and be witnesses for Allah, even though it be against yourselves or against parents and kindred.
"Whether he be rich or poor, Allah is more regardful of them both than you are. Therefore, follow not low desires so that you may be able to act equitably. And if you conceal the truth or evade it, then remember that Allah is well aware of what you do” (4:135).