The Chairman of the Board of The Electoral Institute, Prof. Abdulahi Zuru, has announced that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will utilise the lessons learned from the 2023 general election to ensure that the governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states are conducted in accordance with the electoral legal framework.
Zuru made the statement during the institute’s annual Professor Abubakar Momoh Memorial Lecture, which focused on the upcoming governorship elections in the three states.
Zuru assured attendees that INEC would strive to conduct the elections in a free, fair, credible, inclusive, and verifiable manner. The Director-General of TEI, Dr. Sa’ad Idris, also emphasised the importance of using these elections to refine INEC’s policies, processes, and procedures, thereby achieving a more credible and transparent electoral outcome.
The keynote speaker, Prof. Adele Jinadu, highlighted the significance of Nigeria’s 2023 general election, which promised new political groupings, realignments, and an increase in the country’s youthful voting population.
However, he expressed disappointment that the promise of power alternation between political parties faded after the presidential and National Assembly elections in February 2023. This disappointment led to criticism and attempts to illegitimise INEC and the election results.
In light of this, the upcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi will serve as an opportunity for INEC to address the challenges faced during the previous election and ensure a more credible and acceptable outcome. The focus will be on strengthening and deepening Nigeria’s democratic culture.
Overall, the highlights was INEC’s commitment to improving its electoral processes and achieving fair and transparent elections in the upcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states. The institute’s leaders recognised the importance of learning from past experiences and addressing any shortcomings to uphold a strong democratic system in Nigeria.
