….Comprehensive Report to be Released Soon

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday intensified its review exercise on the 2023 general elections by engaging with Collation and Returning Officers to explore the question of “how far and how well” the Commission and electoral officers performed their respective duties during the elections.

The State Collation Officers for Presidential Elections (SCOPEs) and Senatorial District Collation officers (SDROs) are key players in conducting elections in Nigeria. And, as a policy, the Commission employs lecturers and Vice Chancellors from the Federal Universities, to carry out these functions during elections.

INEC traditionally holds such review meetings after every general election, to holistically look at what worked, what didn’t and identify critical areas for improvement. For the 2023 general elections, the Commission deployed men and materials to 176,606 polling units nationwide.

Prof Mahmood Yakubu

In his remarks, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu said the Commission appreciates the commitment, dedication to duty and sacrifice to the cause of our democracy by the Collation and Returning Officers. The meeting, he said was the
the fourth in the electoral umpire’s planned engagements with key participants in the administration of the 2023 General Election.

“You may recall that on 4th July 2023, we met with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs). Thereafter, the RECs met in the various States of the federation with our regular staff and ad hoc officials, including those who presided over the elections at polling unit level. Two days ago, we held yet another meeting with our Electoral Officers (EOs) and the leadership of the land and maritime workers’ unions who were engaged to provide logistic support for the movement of personnel and materials”, he stressed.

Prof. Yakubu said the Commission was aware that as collation and returning officers, they worked under extremely challenging circumstances by tediously and manually completing designated forms as provided by law and either moved them to the next level of collation or concluded the processes as Returning Officers.

A cross section of participants

He said the Commission would like to draw from their practical experience in the 2023 General Election their perspectives on the processes and procedures for recruitment, training and posting of Collation and Returning Officers; Logistics for movement to and from your places of assignment; the integrity of the collation and declaration procedure, including the application of the law, regulations and guidelines for result management.

Others are the role of technology in result management; Security of Collation/Returning Officers and the collation centres; of party agents and election observers during collation; Conduct of security personnel; and any other lessons that will improve the future collation and declaration of results.

He said consistent with the Commission’s commitment, when the review engagements are exhausted, a comprehensive report will be prepared. “It is, therefore, expected that you will share your field experiences candidly. We would like to hear from you and what can be done to improve this critical aspect of the electoral process”, he stressed.

In her welcome address, National Commissioner and Chairman, Post Election Review Committee (PMSC/PERC), Prof. Rhonda Gumus said the Commission organised the meeting to undertake a comprehensive review on issues and challenges and to learn critical lessons in planning for future Elections.

“The State Collation Officers for Presidential Elections (SCOPEs) and Senatorial District Collation officers (SDROs) are key players in conducting elections in Nigeria”, she stressed , adding that :”as field workers, we expect to hear from you the challenges encountered and how you resolved them in the field bearing in mind that your key recommendations on this review exercise will definitely enhance the Commission in planning for future elections”.