The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has warned that local and foreign observers must not interfere in the country’s electoral process or show partisanship.
The commission also accredited 146,913 national and international observers for the 2023 general election.
The Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this Tuesday in Abuja at the briefing for accredited election observers for the 2023 general election.
The chairman said in line with global practice, electoral commissions in most jurisdictions invite national and international organisations to deploy observers or organise study tours for election managers during elections.
He said as a consequence, observers submit reports to electoral commissions highlighting strengths and weaknesses of processes, adding that election managers also learn from other jurisdictions.
The chairman noted that the reports and recommendations of observers and the knowledge from the study tours help electoral commissions to progressively improve processes.
He pointed out that the progressive improvement in the country’s democracy since 1999 drew in part from the reports of observers and the study tours.
Yakubu stated: “For the 2023 general election beginning this weekend with the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the commission has accredited 196 national or domestic groups that are collectively deploying 144,800 observers.
“Similarly, the commission accredited 33 international organisations deploying 2,113 observers. In all, 229 groups are deploying 146,913 observers for the 2023 general election.
“This is the largest deployment of domestic and international observers in the history of elections in Nigeria.
“Today’s briefing for observers is in keeping with international good practice. I wish to remind observers that there is a code of conduct for election observation. You are by definition observers.
“Do not interfere with the process or show partisanship. In addition, international observers must be guided by the fact that the election is conducted by the Federal Republic of Nigeria whose sovereignty must be respected.”
The commission urged all observers to keep to the rules, listen to the presentation to be made shortly, and, ask questions where they require further clarification.
