The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday, July 28, received a high-level delegation from the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The team arrived in Nigeria for a post-election review and needs assessment visit, marking two years since the country’s 2023 general elections.
In his welcome remarks, Professor Yakubu expressed appreciation for ECONEC’s continuous role in promoting credible elections throughout West Africa.
He said, “It is my pleasure to welcome our guests from the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions who are here to follow up on the implementation of the recommendations made by the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission to the last General Election in Nigeria held two years ago in February and March 2023.”
The ECONEC mission was led by Mrs Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, Chairperson of Liberia’s National Elections Commission, and included Dr Bossman Asare, Deputy Chair of Ghana’s Electoral Commission, alongside other electoral experts.
Yakubu noted that ECOWAS had provided 37 suggestions after observing the 2023 polls.
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Out of those, 13 were specifically directed at INEC, while the remaining 24 were aimed at other institutions such as the National Assembly, Nigeria Police Force, civil society organisations, political parties, and regulatory bodies like the NBC and NITDA.
He stated that INEC had taken action on all administratively implementable recommendations, while those requiring legal amendments were awaiting legislative review. A comprehensive report, available both digitally and in print, was shared with the visiting team.
Responding, Mrs Browne-Lansanah described the mission as a peer-learning initiative for electoral bodies in the region.
She said, “This joint post-2023 election follow-up and needs assessment mission to Nigeria is a peer-to-peer review… and the recommendations that we offered.”
Furthermore, she acknowledged Nigeria’s support to Liberia’s electoral commission, especially INEC’s contribution in setting up their ICT room through ECONEC facilitation.
She called for continued collaboration to improve electoral systems across West Africa, emphasising the importance of shared experiences in overcoming regional electoral challenges.