Observer Missions Weigh in On Nigerian Elections

When Nigerians went to the polls to vote for a new president and national assembly on February 25, 2023, they did so in the presence of a number of observer missions. Those missions have begun issuing their preliminary assessments.

The African Union Election Observation Mission said that despite the challenging economic, operational and security environment, the elections were "generally well-adminstered in a transparent and peaceful atmosphere". While the mission noted a generally low voter turnout in polling units visited, it said "the people of Nigeria demonstrated resilience in exercising their democratic right to elect leaders of their choice".

A delegation from 20 countries organised by the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute in the United States said the election fell well short of Nigerian citizens' reasonable expectations. "Logistical challenges and multiple incidents of political violence overshadowed the electoral process and impeded a substantial number of voters from participating. Ongoing currency and fuel shortages also imposed excessive burdens on voters and election officials," the mission said. "The combined effect of these problems disenfranchised Nigerian voters in many areas, although the scope and scale is currently unknown."

The Commonwealth Observer Group to Nigeria said that Nigerians were largely accorded the right to vote. The head of the mission, former South African president Thabo Mbeki, commended the commitment shown by voters, despite the late arrival of election officials and materials at many polling units, technical issues with biometric identification machines in some cases, and delays with the live results transmission system.

This article originally appeared on AllAfrica.

Image via Getty.