…says it assaults electoral process, sovereignty of Nigeria
By Udesinanna Stephen
Following the European Union’s final report on the Nigeria 2023 general elections that noted some shortcomings, the Federal Government has rejected the reports saying that there is no substantial evidence provided by the Union to challenge the integrity of the 2023 election outcomes.
Recall, as obtained from the official webpage of the EU, the European Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Nigeria, led by the Chief Observer, Barry Andrews, published its final report on the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
EU recommended that there should be: “removal (of) ambiguities in the law, establish a publicly accountable selection process for Independent National Electoral Comsmission, INEC members, ensure real-time publication of and access to election results, provide greater protection for media practitioners, address, discrimination against women in political life, and impunity regarding electoral offenses.”
The federal government debunked the EU report in a press statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President, Dele Alake
Alake said: “This foreign institution (EU) had been unrelenting in its assault on the credibility of the electoral process, the sovereignty of our country and on our ability as a people to organise ourselves.”
The media statement, which was obtained from the Spokes Person, Tinubu/Shettima Campaign, Bayo Onanuga, @aonanuga1956, posits, “It is also gratifying that the electoral umpire (INEC) as an institution that is open to learning and continuous improvements, has also committed to taking on board more ideas, innovation and reforms that will further enhance the integrity and credibility of our electoral process.”
“For emphasis, we want to reiterate that the 2023 general elections, most especially the presidential election, won by President Bola Tinubu/All Progressives Congress, were credible, peaceful, free, fair and the best organised general elections in Nigeria since 1999.
“NBA, an organisation of eminent lawyers and an important voice within the civic space, reported that 91.8 per cent of Nigerians rated the conduct of the national and state elections as credible and satisfactory. Any election that over 90% of the citizens consider transparent should be celebrated anywhere in the world.
“In just one month in office, Nigerians appear satisfied with the decisive leadership of President Tinubu and the manner he is redirecting the country to the path of fiscal sustainability and socio-economic reforms. We urge the EU and other foreign interests to be objective in all their assessments of the internal affairs of our country and allow Nigeria to breathe.”