By..Abba Hamisu Sani
Africa-Press – Nigeria. Election observation played critical role in ensuring qualitative elections across the World especially in underdeveloped Countries like Nigeria where elections are characterise by different in regularities such as rigging .
Different International organizations participate in election observation mission in order to contribute towards free fair and credible elections.
The presence of the observer missions put pressure on election bodies to at list allow some level plying grounds to take place.
During 2023 election in Nigeria different observer mission are expected to take part
European Union is one of the prominent bodies known for election observation mission across the World.
Recently the Union officials visit the headquarters of the Nigeria’s main opposition Party PDP in Abuja.
During the visit the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) has alerted the European Union, (EU) to an alleged plot to compromise the 2023 general elections.
It called on the European Union to send a high level and large sized observer mission to Nigeria to observe and monitor the 2023 general elections, especially given that Nigeria is a very populous country.
National chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, who made the call while receiving the European Union Election Exploratory Mission to Nigeria, led by Mrs Mette Bakken, at the PDP National Headquarters, said the opposition party was worried about the tendency to compromise the polls.
Ayu said: PDP is prepared as a party to do the needful as far as the 2023 general elections are concerned. But the Party is worried about the tendency and capacity of the State to manipulate critical technologies to the advantage of the ruling Party .
“We need to pay close attention so that we are not short changed again” PDP National chairman stated.
Ayu added that there are security challenges in some states, that are six states.
The hope is that ,the government will stamp out the insecurity there early enough for elections to be held there with transparent outcomes.
He statef that PDP will no longer accept questionable harvests of votes from inaccessible areas.
“In the past, those were areas where the ruling APC did what they love doing best: bringing votes that subverted the will of the people. Even though we are going to police our votes, it’s important that the EU sends a large number of observers ahead of the elections.”
PDP plead with European Union to bring a large Observer Mission during 2023 election .
This is because Nigeria is such a big country, with some states being bigger than some EU Member-States.
And we need, among the observers, people with technical capacities too. Election observation has shifted from manual to technology. You need to keep talking to the government and critical stakeholders so that the APC does not subvert the democratic will.
The PDP leadership appreciate the efforts of the EU and thank the Observer Missions for their continued interest in the democratization process in Nigeria which is close to 25 years.
Although Ayu said the PDP was prepared for the 2023 general elections and was ready to police the positive outcomes, he expressed fears that the elections might be compromised, with the ruling APC bearing undue pressures on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
PDP do not want to be short changed again. As our party believe that it won the presidency in the 2019 general elections. PDP was injured in 2019, and the party don’t want a second injury in 2023.
Talking on the freedom of expression Ayu said Nigerians are very vibrant people. Even under military rule, they spoke their minds. It was through the process of exprrssion that Nigerians formed this political party to make sure that the military handed over power to Civilians .
He said election observation has become part and parcel of the conduct of Modern election as it enhances the transparency of any poll because when election umpires and even voters know that, there are observers ,monitoring what they are doing the tendency is for them to curtail some malpractices which ordinarily could happened in the absence of observers.
The Political Scientist said election observation also hasten the level of transparency in the conduct of election.And when elections are observed it gives who are not there the confidence on what transpired and even those that are not voting will have confidence on the electoral process.
Professor Mosses Aluaigba says staff of electioral bodies are more conscious when there is presence of election observers .
As observers served as watch dog and record what ever happens in the election process.
The impact of observers report on elections
Professor Moses says the impact of election observation missions could not be over emphasised but it play vital role in reshaping electoral process.
Any country intend to make progress in it’s political and electoral process should use reports from election observers.
The political scientist urged both Domestic and International election observers to put more effort in ensuring credible, free ,and fair elections in Nigeria in 2023.
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