INEC to Conduct Extensive Review, Debriefing On The 2019 General Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it would conduct an extensive review and debriefing on the just concluded 2019 general elections, between May and June, 2019 in line with its existing practice.

This was contained in a statement by Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chaiman, Information and Voter Education Committee, in Abuja.

According to him, the proposal for the review and debriefing was approved by the commission at it meeting on Tuesday.

Okoye said, “This is intended to evaluate the Commission’s performance of the key activities of the general elections, with a view to addressing identified challenges and strengthening operational and institutional capacities to conduct free, fair, peaceful and credible elections”.

The focus of the review according to Okoye would be on the planning, organisation, conduct and coordination of the general elections, particularly on certain areas.

These include logistics, procurement and deployment of personnel and materials; Continuous Voter Registration and Collection of permanent voter’s cards.

Others include legal environment of the elections, particularly the legal challenges experienced over nomination of candidates and conduct of elections.

“Processes of party registration, party primaries and nomination of candidates; quality of ad hoc staff. Relationship between the Commission and diverse stakeholders, including political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, the media and development partners”

“And quality of inclusivity of the elections, particularly regarding persons with disability, Internally Displaced Persons (lDPs) and gender balance”.

He however, disclosed that the Commission envisaged two sets of activities in its reviews as follows:

“lnternal reviews involving National Commissioners, Resident Electoral Commissioners, Electoral Officers, Collation and Returning Officers as well as other key staff of the Commission”

“Review meetings with key stakeholders such as political parties, civil society organizations, security agencies, the media and development partners, he said”.

Okoye noted that the Commission had commenced work on a comprehensive report of the 2019 general elections and has mandated its Electoral Institute to undertake detailed researches into various aspects of the elections.

“It is the Commission’s hope that the outcomes of these reviews and studies will feed into further electoral reforms and its preparations for handling future elections.”