Commonwealth Observer Group Releases Final Report on Nigeria’s 2023 Elections

The Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) has officially unveiled its final report on Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections. The report, now in the hands of the Nigerian government, meticulously outlines the group’s findings, shedding light on key areas for potential enhancement within the electoral process.

Led by former South African President HE Thabo Mbeki, the independent and diverse COG team, deployed by Commonwealth Secretary-General Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, commenced its mission in Abuja on February 18, 2023. Throughout their tenure, the team received steadfast support from the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Highlighting Nigeria’s robust political landscape and the commendable role played by its civil society, the report lauded the active engagement of over 4,500 citizen observers in parallel vote tabulation and data clerking initiatives organized by Yiaga Africa and other civil society organizations. Additionally, the report acknowledged the significant contribution of Nigeria’s youth within civil society groups.

However, the report did not shy away from addressing significant deficiencies that marred the credibility, transparency, and inclusivity of the elections. Key among these were the malfunctions of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices and the INEC Results Viewing (IReV) portal on and after election day.

While acknowledging the strides made with the introduction of the new Electoral Act 2022, the report underscored the necessity for further institutional and legal reforms, particularly in areas such as campaign finance, electoral offenses, and the inclusion of marginalized demographics.

Furthermore, the COG recommended stringent adherence to professional codes of ethics by state-owned and private media houses, advocating for impartial and equitable coverage for all political entities. It emphasized the urgency of promptly and impartially penalizing media-related violations.

Echoing concerns raised in the 2019 report, the COG reiterated the imperative need to address the glaring lack of women’s political representation. It urged the National Assembly to revisit bills concerning seat quotas and recommended the adoption of temporary special measures outlined in the National Gender Policy.

In her remarks, KC. Patricia Scotland the Commonwealth Secretary-General acknowledged improvements in the electoral process while advocating for further reforms. She encouraged Nigeria to establish indigenous mechanisms to implement COG recommendations and offered support from the Secretariat where necessary.

“I encourage Nigeria to establish its home-grown mechanisms, to review and take forward recommendations made by this COG and, where possible, reach out to the Secretariat for support in the implementation of some these recommendations,” she highlighted.

The Secretary-General also expressed gratitude to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for extending the invitation to observe the 2023 elections.

Crafted in-country and finalized in the weeks following their departure from Nigeria, the COG’s report provides a comprehensive evaluation of the entire electoral process, from pre-election preparations to post-poll assessments, building upon the preliminary findings issued shortly after the elections.

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