Election Outcomes: Yiaga Africa Backs New INEC Guidelines, Seeks Amendments

Foremost election monitoring organisation, Yiaga Africa, has backed the new Supplementary Guidelines for the Review of Declaration and Return of Election Results issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The group described the development as a “positive step” towards enhancing the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.

It, however, urged INEC to amend the Guidelines to widen the scope of persons eligible to trigger the review mechanism.

Yiaga Africa’s Executive Director, Samson Itodo, commended the move in a statement issued on Friday, saying it offers a safeguard against loopholes often exploited to manipulate election outcomes.

“This action is a positive step towards ensuring administrative safeguards for electoral integrity, especially loopholes often exploited to steal elections,” Itodo said.

However, the organisation expressed concern that some provisions of the Guidelines could undermine the effectiveness of the review process.

He said a major point of contention was the restriction of report submissions to only Resident Electoral Commissioners, Returning Officers, and National Commissioners.

Itodo argued that this limitation excludes political parties, candidates, accredited observers, and their agents — even if they possess credible evidence of result manipulation.

“By restricting the activation of the power of review to reports filed by INEC officials, some of whom may be complicit in the very infractions that warrant review, is counterproductive,” he said .

The group cited recent elections where some electoral officers were accused of defying INEC’s directives, manipulating results, or failing in their duties — actions that compromised the integrity of the electoral process.

Yiaga Africa called for the inclusion of political parties, candidates, accredited party agents, and observers who were present during collation.

“Such inclusion will enhance transparency, promote electoral justice, and affirm INEC’s commitment to credible elections,” Itodo stated.