Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the European Union, EU has deployed 11 election experts and 40 experienced long-term observers to Nigeria.
While the 11 elections experts are working in Abuja, the 40 experienced long-term observers have been deployed to cover the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Maria Arena, Chief Observer EU Election Observation Mission to Nigeria who announced this Tuesday at a Press Conference in Abuja, said the number was higher than that of the 2015 general elections.
Arena explained that the observers spread across country and in all six geopolitical zones since Monday are working out of 20 different locations and have started meeting with election officials, candidates, parties, security agencies, the media and religious leaders.
She said, “the observers will also meet with representatives of civil society organizations involved in the electoral process, which have an indispensable role in increasing the transparency and credibility of the process, and in advocating for electoral improvements.
“Our long-term observers will report their Observations back to the team in Abuja, and these will contribute to the mission’s informed and impartial assessment of the electoral process”.
The Chief Observer also announced that, “in addition, over the two election days, a delegation of seven Members of European Parliament will also join the mission, as well as diplomatic staff from EU member state embassies in Nigeria, plus Canada, Norway and Switzerland.
“I can’t say how large the mission will eventually be at this stage, but we are not expecting it to be made up of more than 70 observers. We will be observing both election days and the post- election process.
” In the run up to the election day, observers analyse the campaign environment, the election preparations, the legal framework, the role of civil society and the media. On election day, they will observe the opening of the polling units, the voting process, the counting of votes, the tabulation of results, any election complaints and appeals that arise before, during or after the elections”.
Arena further noted that EU Observation Mission is not interested in the outcome of the polls and it has no interest in which candidate or political party wins but it will only observe if the electoral process was conducted in a transparent and credible manner.
She stressed that election Observation Missions are completely independent and impartial, hence Observers will abide by the code of conduct of the mission which insists on maintaining strict neutrality in the course of their work and not interfering with the process.
“We are completely independent in our conclusions. We are independent from the EU Delegation, EU member States and all EU institutions. We come as a fresh pair of eyes, looking just at the electoral process. We are here in the spirit of co-operation with Nigeria. We stand ready to deliver an impartial, objective assessment of the electoral process. I have two key messages, they are these:
“First: Transparency and accountability of all the institutions involved in the elections are absolutely essential for public trust and confidence in the process. Thus we hope that INEC and also the security forces will provide clear real- time information on what they are doing and actions they have taken. INEC and the security forces need to be seen to work neutrally in all their actions from from the leadership down.
” Second: I hope that state bodies and political parties all play their part in promoting a fair and peaceful process before, during and after election day. This means working with integrity for the sake of the nation, and promoting a calm response to any problems or frustrations”, the EU Chief Observer said.
