The Transitional Monitoring Group (TMG) says the Federal Government needs to review its offhand dismissal of the European Union’s report on anomalies in Nigeria’s recently concluded (2023) elections.
TMG, an independent Nigerian Civil Society Organisation, says the EU’s report on the Nigerian elections is particularly telling because other independent observer groups have come out with similar appraisals of the event.
The body says Nigeria should also be mindful of the fact that the EU Election Observer team visited the country on the invitation of the Federal Government.
It further warned that government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may be sending the wrong signals to Nigerians and the world at large, by disregarding both local election observers and the EU Election Report.
The EU had in its report presented on June 27, said the 2023 election exposed enduring systemic weaknesses and therefore signalled a need for further legal and operational reforms to enhance transparency, inclusiveness and accountability in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Responding on Sunday however, the Federal Government rejected the report, describing the conclusions of the EU Electoral Observer Mission as “jaundiced”.
In a statement on Monday, Auwal Rasfanjani, Chairman of the TMG, said that local observers and civil society groups working on election observation and democracy had also raised similar concerns about gaps in the electoral process in Nigeria.
“The recommendations by the European Union align with the views of many civil society groups and local observers. It is imperative that the government and INEC review those recommendations and work towards addressing the gaps in the electoral processes in order to make our electoral system more transparent, accountable and participatory, to restore confidence in the process,” he said.
Rafsanjani also emphasised that it is only when the government genuinely ensures that free and fair elections hold, that democracy and good governance can be consolidated and achieved in Nigeria.
“We urge President Bola Tinubu to take courage and admit to the shortcomings with the electoral process which is evident by the violence and several election petitions going on in the country and the reduction of Nigerian’s participation in the elections.
“He should emulate late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua who admitted that there were gaps in his election and committed to reform the electoral system, therefore, TMG urges president Tinubu to ensure effective reform.
“The EU witnessed the election process and their report should not be ignored. It is disheartening to see that the government and INEC are disregarding the recommendations from the European Union who they invited to observe the elections.”
He said electoral misconduct should not be normalised, urging the government and INEC to work towards addressing electoral corruption and impunity.
