The National Peace Committee, led by His Excellency, General Abdulsalami A. Abubakar, GCFR, presented its 2023 General Election Report, titled – Nigeria’s Pursuit of Electoral Compliance: National Peace Committee 2023 General Election Report. The report was presented to the public on Friday 16th February 2024, at the Kukah Centre, the Secretariat of the Committee in Abuja. Ahead of the presentation, the Committee held a closed-door session to discuss the current socio-economic and political situation in Nigeria.
During this session, the committee was briefed by the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu on INEC’s preparations for off-cycle elections in Edo and Ondo states. In response, the NPC Chairman and members expressed their deep concerns regarding the upcoming off-cycle elections. They acknowledged the growing mistrust among Nigerians towards the electoral system and discussed strategies to rebuild this trust. Meanwhile, the NPC 2023 general elections report made some critical observations and equally provided strategic recommendations on deepening Nigeria’s democratic culture.
Key Observations from the 2023 General Elections
- Substantial Lack of Compliance in Electoral Legal frameworks, Guidelines and Policies.
- Widespread Trust Deficit in Government Agencies and Institutions charged with managing elections.
- Citizens’ Limited Political Awareness and Knowledge about electoral laws, processes, policies and guidelines.
- The Challenges of Technology adopted to, among other things, enhance transparency and integrity in the electoral process.
- Poverty and Dispossession faced by many citizens in-between elections, and their Impact on Credible Elections
Strategic Recommendations for Deepening the Culture of Democracy
- Whole society approach must be adopted to manage elections in Nigeria.
- The Responsibility of the Government in power to comply with and implement the social it has signed with Nigerians.
- The Election Management Body should be improved by implementing the recommendations of the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Committee.
- Political Party Management System must be rejigged to be participatory, inclusive, transparent, and value driven.
- The Peace Committee should continue to deploy its convening power to provide moral interventions in cases where trust deficit is rampant, and the judicial structures have failed.
