Last week, we held a debriefing session on the Edo State 2024 governorship election to examine our election observation mission for the election, which saw the deployment of 325 trained and accredited observers for the election under our Watching The Vote (WTV) initiative. The debriefing is part of our election observation process which looks at the pre-election, election day and post-election periods.
The debriefing session brought together our WTV local government supervisors who were roving observers on the day of the election, media and civil society organisations to present their views and experiences regarding the implementation of the project, reviewing what worked so that it could be strengthened and shedding light on what needs to be improved. Other areas that featured during the debrief include strategies on WTV’s election day deployment, efficiency of our pre-election observation, and communication structure.
During the debrief, participants made critical recommendations to enhance Nigeria’s electoral integrity and democratic processes. One key recommendation was for the judiciary to play a central role in appointing the INEC chairman to reduce potential political influence and restore public confidence in the electoral process. Additionally, the CSOs were tasked with equipping citizens to hold their state governments accountable for delivering democratic dividends, ensuring their voices resonate beyond election periods, while also calling for protections for media and local observers during elections.
The participants also identified curbing vote-buying through strict prohibitions on any form of gift-giving around elections as a prerequisite for a credible electoral process.
There was also a panel discussion on the election day findings from the observation which was moderated by Safiya Bichi, Yiaga Africa’s Head of Knowledge Management and Learning with Dr Bright Oniovokukor of Indomitable Youth; Annie Umoru, representing Dr Jude Obasanmi of Situation Room; Mrs Blessing Eromon of Cleen Foundation; Rev Fr Benedict Onwugbenu of Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) and the NUJ secretary, Edo chapter, Mr Andy Egbon as discussants. The panel also elicited open engagement from the participants and provided valuable insights.
These recommendations reflect a shared commitment to continuous improvement, with stakeholders rallying for an electoral process that genuinely upholds democratic values and the will of the people.
