Presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, have lampooned the Presidency for rejecting the European Union (EU) final report on the February 25 presidential election.
The EU Observer Mission in its report faulted the polls owing to “enduring systemic weaknesses.”
The Presidential election result has been disputed by the PDP and the LP and their candidates who alleged that the polls were not credible.
But in a statement on Sunday, the Presidency refuted claims by the EU that the election which produced President Bola Tinubu was flawed, describing the report by the EU observers as a “poorly done desk job.”
Chief Observer of the EU Election Observation Mission (EOM), Barry Andrews, had in a press briefing last week noted that “the election exposed enduring systemic weaknesses and therefore signal a need for further legal and operational reforms to enhance transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability.”
Andrews said the shortcomings in the law and electoral administration hindered the conduct of well-run and inclusive elections and damaged trust in the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The EU EOM offered 23 recommendations for consideration by the Nigerian government that would improve future elections.
Of the 23, Andrews revealed that “We are particularly concerned about the need for reform in six areas which we have identified as priority recommendations, and we believe, if implemented, could contribute to improvements for the conduct of elections.”
The six priority recommendations highlighted the need to remove ambiguities in the law; establish a publicly accountable selection process for INEC members; ensure real-time publication of and access to election results; provide greater protection for media practitioners; address discrimination against women in political life, and impunity regarding electoral offences.