By Caroline Ameh
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process by implementing key post-election recommendations.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, gave this assurance on Monday during a strategic meeting with the Post-Election Follow-Up and Needs Assessment Mission from the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC), held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The ECONEC delegation was led by Mrs. Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, Chairperson of Liberia’s National Elections Commission, alongside Dr. Bossman Asare, Deputy Chairman of Ghana’s Electoral Commission. Their visit is aimed at assessing the level of implementation of the 37 recommendations issued by the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM) following Nigeria’s 2023 General Election.
Yakubu revealed that INEC had taken administrative steps to implement the 13 recommendations directed specifically at the Commission, while the remaining 24 recommendations—assigned to other stakeholders such as the National Assembly, Nigeria Police Force, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), civil society organisations, and political parties—await appropriate action.
“The Commission has considered all the recommendations requiring administrative action and awaits the conclusion of ongoing legal reviews for those requiring legislative input,” Yakubu stated.
He disclosed that INEC had compiled and published its detailed response to the recommendations, many of which align with its broader electoral reform agenda comprising 142 proposals developed in consultation with key stakeholders. These documents, he said, have been made available to the ECONEC delegation both in print and online.
“Today’s mission is a follow-up to the 2023 General Election, and while routine, it is a critical reflection point for our region’s electoral integrity,” Yakubu said.
He described the visit as a vital democratic tradition and commended ECOWAS and ECONEC for their sustained support for democratic consolidation across West Africa.
Yakubu also acknowledged INEC’s own involvement in similar electoral missions in the region, citing a recent engagement in the Republic of Gambia.
As part of its itinerary, the ECONEC delegation will also meet with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
He further appreciated the technical support from international partners such as the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), International IDEA, and the German development agency GIZ, whose representatives were present during the meeting.
Yakubu lauded the ECONEC Secretariat for its professionalism and pledged INEC’s continued cooperation.
“We look forward to a robust interaction at this meeting in the best interest of our elections and electoral process,” he concluded.
