Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised what he described as a “lack of commitment” by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improving Nigeria’s electoral process.
In a statement on Friday, the 2023 presidential candidate said Nigerians expect the commission to collaborate with the National Assembly on electoral reforms that will strengthen transparency and credibility.
Atiku made the remarks during a meeting with a European Union delegation led by Barry Andrews, a member of the European Parliament and head of the EU Election Observation Mission for the 2023 polls. The visit, he noted, was a follow-up on recommendations issued after last year’s general elections.
“Yesterday evening, I received a high-powered European Union delegation, including the ambassador to Nigeria, H.E Gautier Mignot,” Atiku posted on X.
“The delegation led by Barry Andrews, a member of the European Parliament, who was also head of the 2023 EU election observation mission to Nigeria, is engaging in broad-based conversation on the future of Nigerian elections. This visit is a follow-up mission to see the level of implementation of a set of recommendations made by the team following the 2023 general elections,” he added.
The former VP stressed that citizens want to see concrete steps from INEC. “Expectations are high that the Independent National Electoral Commission will urgently work with the National Assembly to give citizens election laws that guarantee transparent and credible elections, where every vote counts. It is worrisome that two years down the line, we are yet to see indications that INEC is committed to an improved electoral process,” he said.
Atiku added that he would continue to support civil society groups and election monitoring missions, including the EU-EOM, in pushing for genuine reforms before 2027. “We believe that only through credible elections shall we safeguard our democracy and recruit leaders that will ensure unity and economic prosperity of Nigeria.”
His comments came a day after INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu appealed to lawmakers to speed up the amendment of the electoral legal framework. “Uncertainty over the legal framework for the election can unsettle the work of the commission as election draws nearer,” Yakubu said, adding that INEC has reviewed the eight recommendations addressed to it in the EU observers’ report.
