SW News: Violence, vote buying, and voter intimidation plagued the 2023 presidential and governorship elections in Nigeria, said a top official of Caritas Nigeria.
Fr. Uchechukwu Obodoechina, executive secretary of Caritas Nigeria, said the behavior of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before, during, and after the elections had disappointed Nigerians while presenting the 2023 General Elections Observation Report for the West African nation.
The prelate said at the report’s unveiling that logistic issues also influenced Nigeria’s presidential election on February 25 and the gubernatorial vote on March 11. He said Nigerians had seen security services compromise, which aided the activities of hoodlums.
The unprepared and incompetent INEC staff arrived at the polling booths late with incomplete equipment in most cases, said the Priest who also serves as the Director of the Church and Society Department.
Fr. Obodoechina said INEC's failure to make suitable transportation and logistical arrangements contributed to the polling officers’ delayed arrival. He claimed that INEC's inability, unwillingness, and outright refusal to upload the sheet that records results at voting places was one of its worst failings.in real-time to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) webpage. He said security in most of the polling stations across Africa’s most populous nation was grossly inadequate to maintain orderliness and guarantee the protection of people and electoral materials.
The prelate requested that INEC carry out an in-depth analysis and review of the performances of its officials during the polls."Additional efforts should be made by INEC as permitted by law to push for fully electronic voting during elections," he said. The evident violations that are occurring during the Nigerian elections would be minimized to the absolute minimum. He said the security services in Nigeria should also examine their personnel during the elections.