Janet Samuel, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has vowed to henceforth adopt ”no observation report, no accreditation’ policy in the accreditation of election monitors in future polls.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu made this known at a regular quarterly meeting with leaders of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Wednesday.at the commission’s headquarters, in Abuja
Yakubu that a year after the 2023 general elections, some accredited observers were yet to submit their monitoring report to the commission.
The INEC Chairman revealed 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 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.
Prof. Yakubu however ssured that INEC will continue to partner with the CSOs and appreciated the observations and recommendations contained in their election observation reports.
