The Independent National Electoral Commission has promised not to fail Nigerians and the international Community in the conduct of the 2023 general elections.
This is as Nigrria will be joining eight other countries to discuss security challenge.
The meeting comes up in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, who disclosed this on Monday, stressed the importance of the meeting, saying that the meeting became necessary following security challenge hampering the conduct of a nedical staff.
Other countries participating in the conference include Burkina Faso, Benin Republic, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Speaking at a meeting with the United Nations for West Africa and the Sahel, stated that Nigeria will be making two paper presentations at the conference.
Yakubu noted that the Commission will continue to make incremental improvement to the country’s electoral process supported by the deployment of appropriate and relevant technology that will make voter accreditation and result management more credible and transparent.
He said “For UNOWAS, we appreciate your work in the areas of preventive diplomacy, political mediation and facilitation in West Africa and the Sahel. These are critical conditions for peace. Election Management Bodies are major beneficiaries of your work. This is because elections and electoral activities cannot be successfully conducted in an atmosphere of violence. For this reason, INEC always appreciates the role of UNOWAS in our sub-region and the Sahel.
“At different fora, Electoral Commissions in West Africa and beyond have expressed concern about the impact of prevailing insecurity on the conduct of elections, particularly with regard to insurgency, banditry and other forms of armed conflict.
“Consequently, a 9-nation conference of Electoral Commissions and election experts is holding this week in Ouagadougou involving the host, Burkina Faso, as well as Benin Republic, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo from West Africa; and the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo from Central Africa. Nigeria will be making two presentations at the Conference.
“With just 81 days to the 2023 General Election, we have made tremendous progress in our preparations so far. This is the 7th consecutive General Election since the restoration of democracy in Nigeria in 1999. We are aware of the importance of our elections to Nigeria, our sub-region and the world.
“We assure you that the Commission will not fail the nation and the international community. We will continue to make incremental improvement to our electoral process supported by the deployment of appropriate and relevant technology that will make voter accreditation and result management more credible and transparent.”
