The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured of
its continuous partnership and cooperation with the European Union (EU) to improve the electoral process and further deepen democracy in the country.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, gave the assurance at a farewell visit of the EU Ambassador and Head of the Union’s Delegation to Nigeria and West Africa, Amb. Samuela Isopi to the Commission in Abuja on Tuesday.
Yakubu noted that conducting a general election in Nigeria was like holding polls for the whole of West Africa and part of Central Africa as there were 74 million registered voters in West Africa, while in 2023, the country had 93 million registered voters, which is almost 10 million more than the other 14 countries put together.
“There are 74 million registered voters in West Africa. In 2023, we will have 93 million registered workers in Nigeria, which is almost 10 million more than the other 14 countries put together. So, each time Nigerians go to the polls, it’s like conducting elections for all of West Africa and part of Central Africa.
“Recently, the Electoral Commission in Ghana conducted the equivalent of the Continuous Voter Registration. In Ghana, they call it a mock-up to enable citizens who have come of age or those who could not register for one reason or another to register.
“One of the targets of the Electoral Commission in Ghana was to register 70,000 new voters nationwide. But here, in the last Continuous Voter Registration in Edo State alone, we registered 119,000 new voters. The additional 15,000 in Ondo State, put together, registered 177,000. Three times more than what our colleagues in Ghana hoped to register under their own CVR,” he said.
Yakubu recalled that INEC had a good working relationship with the EU as he personally worked with Santiago Pisas, Head of the EU delegation and observation mission to Nigeria in 2015.
“On behalf of the Commission, I would like to express our appreciation to the European Union, particularly the mission for the partnership and collaboration in the implementation of the EU SDGM 2, implemented by the DAI. And we’ll continue to work in collaboration with the DAI. We have been supporting democracy and democratic governance in Nigeria.
“So we want to thank you on behalf of INEC and request you to extend our appreciation to the EU and its member states. We have worked very closely with you.
And I want you to assure your successors that the same spirit of partnership and cooperation will continue to exist between INEC and the EU,” he added.
Earlier, Amb. Isopi, who will be leaving the country after her tenure on Friday, said supporting democracy in Africa and West Africa now was more important than ever, given the backsliding being witnessed in many parts of the region.
She said Nigeria was the largest democracy on the continent and one of the largest democracies, so the EU knew how important it was to continue to support the country in its journey towards strengthening its democracy.
“All democracies in the world, including our own, face challenges. The journey is not necessarily always in one direction. We all face these challenges. We have an interest in working together to see how we can strengthen democracy because strengthening democracy in Europe and strengthening democracy in Nigeria means strengthening democracy worldwide.
“We know how important Nigeria’s example can be to other countries here. As I said, I think we have gone a long way. Maybe not everything is perfect, but many things are not elsewhere. I couldn’t leave without saying a farewell visit to Mr. Chairman and without saying a farewell visit to INEC, which is part, as you know, of the European Union’s main partner here in Nigeria,” Isopi noted.