The European Union Election Observation Mission, EU EOM, in Nigeria on Saturday said that it knew nothing about the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, servers that was allegedly used to transmit results of the 2019 general elections.
Recall that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had claimed that an INEC server was used to transmit results of the election.
However, while briefing newsmen in Abuja on the EU EOM’s report, the Deputy Chief Observer for the EU, Hannah Roberts said the Mission relied on results that were released by INEC.
Roberts, while fielding questions from newsmen, said the EU Mission in Nigeria was unaware of an INEC server by which results were transmitted during the election.
“The EU had to rely on INEC’s explanation in result transmission,” she said.
Maria Arena, EU Chief Observer had earlier presented a final report with recommendations for electoral reforms.
She said the EU EOM had 91 observers on ground for the Presidential and National Assembly elections across Nigeria.
Arena added that 73 observers were deployed for the Governorship and State House of Assembly election while only 20 observers were used for the supplementary elections.
Following its observation mission, she said the EU EOM had 30 recommendations on how to improve future electoral processes in Nigeria.
“The mission concluded that the systemic failings seen in the elections, and the relatively low levels of voter participation, show the need for fundamental electoral reform.”
The EU report prioritised seven recommendations of the 30, one of which was that Nigeria to Strengthen INEC procedures for the collation of results to improve integrity and confidence in electoral outcomes.
Another recommendation was that electoral tribunals cover pre-election cases in order to improve access to remedy and to avoid petitions being taken to different courts at the same time.
NAN
