The Neo Africana Centre, a prominent public policy think tank, has strongly criticized the Bola Tinubu presidency for its swift and dismissive reaction to the recently released report by the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM) on Nigeria’s 2023 general elections. The think tank described the presidency’s response as rash, reactionary, and unbecoming.
The EU-EOM spent three months observing the electoral process across the country and published its final report, which highlighted enduring systemic weaknesses that hindered transparency and inclusiveness during the elections. The report specifically noted deficiencies in electoral law and administration, which impeded the conduct of well-run and inclusive elections and eroded trust in the electoral commission. The lack of real-time publication and access to election results was among the key concerns highlighted.
In response, the presidency swiftly dismissed the report, labeling it as the result of a poorly conducted desk job. It vehemently rejected any suggestion that the 2023 election was fraudulent, asserting that it was not only credible but also the freest, fairest, and most transparent election Nigeria has witnessed since 1999.
However, the Neo Africana Centre, through its Director of Public Affairs, Jenkins Udu, cautioned the presidency against assuming the role of judge in its own case. The think tank expressed its dismay at the presidency’s hasty and self-serving involvement in a report that primarily targeted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It stressed the importance of avoiding actions or reactions that would imply a desire to sit in judgment over the matter.
In an official statement, Udu emphasized the think tank’s keen interest in the activities of the EU-EOM during its three-month monitoring of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria. As an organization dedicated to democracy and good governance, they shared the concerns expressed by the EU-EOM regarding the flawed conduct of the elections. The think tank echoed the widely held view that the credibility of the presidential election was significantly damaged by the failure to transmit results in real-time, a major flaw that cannot be ignored.
The statement further highlighted the think tank’s focus on the report’s recommendations, which they believe can enhance Nigeria’s democratic processes if accepted and implemented. Although the recommendations primarily targeted the electoral commission, the Neo Africana Centre encouraged other relevant bodies, both within and outside the country, to draw lessons from the report.
Consequently, the think tank deemed the presidency’s hasty attempt to denounce and discredit the report as rash, reactionary, and unbecoming. They asserted that the presidency, being an involved party, should abstain from interfering in the matter. The think tank expressed suspicion and disapproval regarding the presidency’s eagerness to impose its views on Nigerians and the international community. They argued that such behavior would be preposterous and an affront to the collective intelligence of the Nigerian populace. While urging concerned organizations to make the most of the report, the Neo Africana Centre strongly repudiated any swift denunciation that sought to reduce the report to a partisan piece of propaganda, highlighting that the report held significance beyond political affiliations.
The EU-EOM’s report has sparked widespread debates and discussions among Nigerian citizens, civil society organizations, and international stakeholders. The hope is that the country’s electoral processes will undergo necessary reforms, as recommended in the report, to ensure transparent and credible elections in the future.
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