Logistics, Insecurity Marred Elections—Commonwealth, CSOs Say

Commonwealth election observers and the Nigeria Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have said that logistics issues and insecurity  marred yesterday’s presidential election.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja while presenting the interim report on the start of the 2023 general elections, head of the Commonwealth observer mission to Nigeria and former president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, who was a guest at the briefing, said his committee observed the late arrival of officials and materials to polling units in many parts of the country.

“The point I’m making is that everybody arrived late. And before they could start with the voting, it took some time,” Mbeki said.

He said that though they had been told that elections would start at 8:30am, they arrived before that time at the first polling unit (PU) observed and found that INEC officials only arrived at 8:30 a.m. and elections could only begin about an hour later.

He said, “At a second PU unit observed, INEC officials complained of inks drying as early as elections began. Imagine what can happen later. Our committee, however believes that the electoral commission, INEC, is able to address the problem.

In the interim statement jointly signed by co-conveners, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Ene Obi, Asma’u Joda and James Ugochukwu, said that despite the challenges observed, they were glad that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders for ensuring that the elections were not postponed as was the case in recent general elections.

“The Situation Room is pleased that sensitive election materials have reached most local government areas across the country.

“The Situation Room is hopeful that INEC and other election stakeholders will resolve existing and emerging challenges relating to deployment of electoral officials and materials, prompt commencement of polls, and accreditation and voting.

“The Situation Room calls on voters to eschew violence and be law abiding as they perform their civic duty,” they said.

Also, the Yiaga Africa Watching The Vote (WTV)’s Mid-day Situational report revealed critical challenges in the commencement of polls ranging from the late arrival of officials and delayed opening of polls to the shortage of election materials in some polling units.

A report release by the chair, Yiaga Africa Watching The Vote, Dr Hussaini Abdu and Yiaga Executive Director, Itodo Samson said the late arrival of polling unit officials was exacerbated by the late deployment of the polling officials and election materials from the Registration Areas Centres (RACs) on election morning.