The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) on Thursday said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is making significant improvements in its operations following the 2023 general elections.
EU EOM visited the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on a follow-up assessment.
The delegation, led by Chief Observer and Member of the European Parliament, Barry Andrews, met with INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to review the implementation of recommendations from the EU EOM’s 2023 report.
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Andrews commended INEC for its dedication to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy but stressed that key challenges remain, particularly those dependent on judicial and constitutional reforms.
“We have noted significant improvements in several areas, though some challenges remain, particularly those requiring judicial, and constitutional reforms,” he stated.
Yakubu welcomed the EU mission, noting that this marks the third EU follow-up mission the current Commission has hosted, following previous visits in 2017 and 2022.
The INEC Chairman confirmed that the Commission has carefully considered the 23 recommendations in the EU EOM’s 2023 report, eight of which were directly addressed to INEC.
He revealed that the electoral body has already implemented all recommendations requiring administrative action and is collaborating with other stakeholders on cross-cutting issues.
A detailed response to each recommendation has been shared with the EU delegation.
Yakubu also disclosed that INEC’s comprehensive internal review of the 2023 elections generated 142 reform recommendations, many of which align with those from international observers.
However, he cautioned that substantial progress on several key reforms hinges on timely legislative action.
Yakubu stressed that “Uncertainty over the legal framework for the election can unsettle the work of the Commission as elections draw nearer,” urging the National Assembly to expedite the electoral reform process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Looking ahead to 2027, Yakubu assured the delegation that INEC would soon extend formal invitations to international observers, including the EU, African Union, ECOWAS, and the Commonwealth.
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He reaffirmed INEC’s belief that such recommendations help improve the quality of Nigerian elections.
Both INEC and the EU EOM delegation reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing collaboration as Nigeria prepares for the next general elections.
