About 18 accredited local observers, who participated in Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, have adjudged the process as close to perfect.
The exercise, they said, meets international best practices.
Addressing news men in Abuja, spokesman for the groups of observers, Tunde Bafunsho of the Organisation of Justice for Equity Sustenance (OJES), said the conduct of the elections was 80 percent credible.
While asking those who won to be magnanimous in victory, he said losers must also accept defeat with dignity so that Nigeria and Nigerians will become beneficiaries.
The observers said: “We wish to commend the electoral management body, INEC for their immeasurable contributions to the success recorded during the just concluded presidential and National Assembly Election.
“Conducting elections anywhere is never an easy task, requiring the collective input of all stakeholders, including political parties, security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders as well as the entire Citizenry.
“It is our considered view that the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections originally slated for the l6 of February and 21 of March 2019 respectively, evidently helped in putting certain measures in place that culminated to the success recorded eventually on the 23 of February rescheduled presidential exercise.”
They said the processes leading to the election were far better than what the country had in the past.
According to them: “We wish to place on record that both sensitive and non-sensitive materials for last Saturday’s elections arrived their various destinations on schedule and adequate for the conduct of both elections with an overwhelming and unprecedented turnout including the massive participation of women.
“Majority of the voters, media, party agents, observers, security agents and poll officials witnessed the sorting of ballots, counting and recording of result sheets signed by all concerned stakeholders and collation of result at the various collection centers, especially local government and State collection centers.
“There was separation of Presidential/ National Assembly collation centres where presiding officers conducted their activities professionally and transparently.”
They stressed that all stakeholders that participated in the 2019 Presidential and NASS Elections performed their roles towards the sustenance of a credible, peaceful, transparent electoral process and democracy in Nigeria.
“INEC having performed satisfactorily in the conduct and monitoring of the exercise, they should strive to sustain such noble attainment during the upcoming governorship and State Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, 9th March, 2019 and all other future elections.” (The Nation)
