The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu has assured the international community of the Commission’s preparedness to conduct a credible, transparent, inclusive, and verifiable election in 2023.

“We assure you that the Commission will not fail the nation and the international community. We will continue to make incremental improvement to our electoral process supported by the deployment of appropriate and relevant technology that will make voter accreditation and result management more credible and transparent,” Prof Yakubu stressed.

He made the promise on Monday when the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Ms Giovanie Biaha led a team including the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to his office in Abuja.

The visit coming 81 days to the general elections was the second from the international community within five days.
On Thursday, December 1, this year, the Chief Technical Advisor, UNDP, Mr. Deryck Fritz visited the Commission and addressed the Resident Electoral Commission (RECs)

At the ocassion, Mr. Fritz said ;”It is you that must oversee the prudent management of the technical, material, financial and human resources entrusted to you. It is you that must engage impartially with the political actors.

” It is you that must foster the critical local relationships and partnerships with civil society organizations, with the state administration, with the transport unions, with other service providers, and with the police and other security services.

“In this period of the World Cup, we are reminded that successful elections, like successful football matches, are a result of cooperation and teamwork,” Fritz

He disclosed the Electoral Commissions in West Africa and beyond have expressed concern about the impact of prevailing insecurity on the conduct of elections, particularly with regard to insurgency, banditry and other forms of armed conflict.

Consequently, he said a 9-nation conference of Electoral Commissions and election experts would be holding this week in Ouagadougou involving the host, Burkina Faso, as well as Benin Republic, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo from West Africa; and the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo from Central Africa.

Prof Yakubu said Nigeria will be making two presentations at the Conference.

Below is the full text of the INEC Chairman’s address:

” Let me first of all welcome the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Chair of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, Ms. Giovanie Biha, to the Commission. We are immensely honoured by your presence today in the same way that we were privileged to host two of your predecessors, Mohamed Ibn Chambas who visited us twice before the last General Election in 2019 and, most recently, Mahamat Saleh Annadif who was here in June this year.

“Your visit today is part of the long-standing relationship with UNOWAS in particular and the United Nations in general. Not long ago, the Secretary-General deployed the United Nations Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) to Nigeria in addition to the sustained support in the areas of voter education, capacity-building and support to our Election Monitoring Support Centre (EMSC) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

“For UNOWAS, we appreciate your work in the areas of preventive diplomacy, political mediation and facilitation in West Africa and the Sahel. These are critical conditions for peace. Election Management Bodies are major beneficiaries of your work. This is because elections and electoral activities cannot be successfully conducted in an atmosphere of violence. For this reason, INEC always appreciates the role of UNOWAS in our sub-region and the Sahel.

“At different fora, Electoral Commissions in West Africa and beyond have expressed concern about the impact of prevailing insecurity on the conduct of elections, particularly with regard to insurgency, banditry and other forms of armed conflict. Consequently, a 9-nation conference of Electoral Commissions and election experts is holding this week in Ouagadougou involving the host, Burkina Faso, as well as Benin Republic, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo from West Africa; and the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo from Central Africa. Nigeria will be making two presentations at the Conference.

“We believe that your visit today will not only encourage us in our determination to conduct credible, transparent, inclusive and verifiable elections but we will also share the outcome of our discussion with colleagues from other electoral commissions in West Africa and beyond.

“Since your arrival in Nigeria, we have followed your engagements with stakeholders. In particular, we appreciate your fervent appeal for support to the efforts of INEC to conduct peaceful elections. With just 81 days to the 2023 General Election, we have made tremendous progress in our preparations so far. This is the 7th consecutive General Election since the restoration of democracy in Nigeria in 1999.

“We are aware of the importance of our elections to Nigeria, our sub-region and the world. We assure you that the Commission will not fail the nation and the international community. We will continue to make incremental improvement to our electoral process supported by the deployment of appropriate and relevant technology that will make voter accreditation and result management more credible and transparent.

“Once again, I welcome to INEC and we look forward to a robust engagement with you and your team.

” I thank you and God bless.