INEC explains proposed nationwide audit of 2019 polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the essence of a proposed nationwide audit of the 2019 general elections is to review planning strategies and processes that contributed to success of the 2019 polls.

It said this would place the commission in a better position to prepare for the 2023 elections.

The commission’s Head of Voter Education and Publicity Department in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ndidi Okafor, disclosed this in an interview with The Guardian at a one-day train the trainers’ workshop organised by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) in Abuja.

She said the review would cover planning, voters education, logistics and processes that contributed to the successful conduct of 2019 general elections to find out areas that require improvement to ensure better preparations for 2023 elections.

Her words: “INEC is reviewing all the strategies, what worked and what didn’t work, those that worked, how effective they were and how we can further strengthen the strategies for the 2023 elections.

“The commission will engage stakeholders, political parties, the media and civil society groups, because Nigerians own the process and will need feedbacks on areas that need improvement to strengthen the nation’s electoral process for future elections.

“At the national level, INEC has announced a timetable for each state, while it will be meeting with Supervising National Commissioner and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the FCT to review the general elections and FCT Area Council polls.”

On voter apathy during the FCT Area Council Elections, Okafor said it was the second time in 10 years the FCT Area Councils election coincided with the general elections and people concentrated more on national polls, which dwarfed the area council exercise.

“We did our best to sensitise the people, we dedicated a desk to first time voters in the FCT and there were telephone numbers they could call and INEC staff will help them locate their polling units. We also took time to explain the content of their permanent voter cards (PVCs),” she added.

Programme Coordinator, Nigeria WFD, Sola Folayan, said the overall objective of the workshop was to examine pre-election and election voter education activities to give insight and gather learning on projects implemented by corps members during the 2019 general elections and chart a new course for post-election activities.