By mercy Peter
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Monday reiterated the Commission’s commitment to implementing key recommendations aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process.
Yakubu reiterated this 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 INEC headquarters in Abuja.
The ECONEC delegation, led by the Chairperson of Liberia’s National Elections Commission, Mrs. Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, and the Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Dr. Bossman Asare, is in Nigeria to assess the level of implementation of recommendations made by the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM) following Nigeria’s 2023 General Election.
The ECOWAS observation team had previously issued 37 recommendations addressing Nigeria’s 2023 election process.
Yakubu confirmed that INEC had taken administrative steps to address the 13 recommendations falling under its jurisdiction, while legislative-related issues await resolution from the National Assembly.
He said “Out of these, 13 were directed specifically at INEC, while the remaining 24 were assigned to key 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.
“The Commission has considered all the recommendations that require administrative action and awaits the conclusion of ongoing legal reviews for those requiring legislative input,” he said.
He added that the Commission had compiled and published its detailed response to these recommendations, many of which align with INEC’s broader electoral reform agenda comprising 142 reform proposals based on consultations with a range of stakeholders. These reports and accompanying documents have been made available both online and in print for the ECONEC delegation.
“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,” he stressed.
Professor Yakubu acknowledged the importance of such missions in advancing electoral democracy across West Africa, describing the visit as a routine but vital democratic practice.
He commended ECOWAS and ECONEC for their consistent engagement with member states, highlighting INEC’s active participation in similar missions to other countries, including a recent trip to the Republic of Gambia earlier this year.
The Follow-Up Mission is also scheduled to engage with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
Professor Yakubu acknowledged the support from organisations such as EISA, International IDEA, and the German development agency GIZ, whose representatives were part of the visiting delegation.
He also commended the ECONEC Secretariat for its professionalism and consistent collaboration.
Yakubu expressed optimism about a productive engagement with the visiting electoral experts, stating, “We look forward to a robust interaction at this meeting in the best interest of our elections and electoral process.”
