Report: 2023 Election Was Combination of Significant Progress, Regrettable Shortcomings

Sunday Ehigiator

The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has stated that the recently concluded 2023 general election was  a combination of significant progress in the electoral process and regrettable shortcomings.

CAPPA gave the verdict in its latest report titled, ‘Unpacking Nigeria’s 2023 General Elections.’

The report, which highlighted the progressive leaps of the 2023  elections, also identified  shortcomings which led to the contestation of the results by aggrieved parties.

While speaking at the media launch of the report, CAPPA’s Executive Director, Mr Akinbode Olufemi, explained that the lead-up to the elections sparked high hopes among Nigerians with expectations that the incorporation of enhanced technologies would help to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

Olufemi, said the technological innovations in the electoral system did not only inspire a heightened sense of civic awareness among youths, but also caused a major shift in the political scene.

He, however, noted that, “these gains were blunted by incidences of violence, voter intimidation, delayed arrival of election staff and materials, curtailment of press freedom, data rights and violations.”

The report recommended that, “security agencies must ensure that perpetrators of violence, hate speech, intimidation, voter’s inducement and voter suppression in the 2023 general election are arrested and prosecuted in compliance with appropriate laws.”

It also recommended that INEC should liaise with security agencies, media, and civil societies to develop robust early warning, prevention and mitigation mechanisms for the next general election.

Furthermore, it recommended that INEC should, “liaise with relevant government, intergovernmental and non-governmental agencies to agree on measures to ensure more effective participation of women, persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups in subsequent elections.”

Also speaking, Associate Director at CAPPA, Ronke Ige,  stressed that there was need “for us to keep reading and interrogating the copy of the Electoral Act such that there should still be many more legal actions on interpretations of certain sessions even before the next election.”

Ige also noted that the, “participation and excitement of youth should be sustained to keep the momentum. The National Orientation Agency (NOA) also has a role to play in civic awareness and orientation which will in turn translate into good governance.”

Commenting on security, Research Officer at CAPPA, Zikora Ibeh, said, “there should be community policing from the community level during Elections” and stressed that “policing from the federal level is not sufficient during elections.”