“No Observation report, no accreditation’- INEC
… As CSOs encouraged to engage and monitor party primaries
Oru Leonard
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said the Commission will henceforth adopt ”no observation report, no accreditation’ policy in the accreditation of election monitors in future polls.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu stated this at a regular quarterly meeting with leaders of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Wednesday.at the commission’s headquarters, in Abuja
Yakubu regretted that a year after the 2023 general elections, some accredited observers were yet to submit their monitoring report to the commission.
The INEC Chairman said that some of the reforms and innovations introduced by the commission over the years were drawn from the observation reports.
He informed them that the submission of observation report is mandatory, and is one of the conditions for eligibility to observe future elections.
According to him, “I want to reassure you that INEC will continue to partner with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). “We appreciate the observations and recommendations contained in your election observation reports.
“Some of the reforms and innovations introduced by the Commission over the years draw from your observation reports.
“However, while many of you have submitted your reports, some accredited observers are yet to do so for the general election, supplementary elections, off-cycle elections, bye-elections and re-run elections.
“May I therefore seize this opportunity to remind those that are yet to submit their observation reports that it is mandatory to do so being one of the conditions for eligibility to observe future elections. “Going forward, the Commission will operate strictly on the policy of “No Observation Report, No Accreditation”, he declared.
The INEC Chairman also stated that political parties wishing to participate in the November 16 Ondo State governorship election will soon commence their primaries, and called on CSOs to engage with the parties to observe the primaries scheduled to be conducted between April 6 and April 27, 2024.
Prof. Yakubu however assured that INEC will continue to partner with the CSOs and appreciated the observations and recommendations contained in their election observation reports.
Responding on behalf of the CSOs, the Executive Director of, the Sustainable Gender Action Initiative, Mufuliat Fijabi, commended INEC for its sustained partnership and collaboration with the Civil Society Community.
She stressed the need for sustained collaboration with the Commission, saying “It is important that we continue to work together as CSOs with the Election Management Body, considering the need to deepen democratic practice in Nigeria.”
Mrs. Fijabi said the CSOs will work towards strengthening their engagement with political parties and observe their activities and primaries leading to the emergence of candidates, “Most importantly, based on the fact there is a need for an inclusive election that truly represents the presentation of the people we have in Nigeria, especially the need for more women, youth, and Persons With Disabilities inclusion.”
On the submission of Observation Mission reports, the CSO representative said “We also take very seriously the fact that the Commission is still expecting reports from observation groups especially reports from CSOs and I am quite optimistic that my colleagues here who have already started turning in their reports will expedite action to ensure that the reports are forwarded to the Commission. “
