President Bola Tinubu has firmly rejected the European Union Electoral Observer Mission (EU-EOM) report, criticizing the 2023 presidential election. The EU Mission’s report highlighted systemic weaknesses, calling for legal and operational reforms to enhance Nigeria’s electoral system.
EU-EOM Chief Observer, Barry Andrews, praised INEC for introducing positive measures early in the electoral process but acknowledged that they did not instill public confidence in the electoral body.
However, the EU observed that INEC’s operational failures and lack of transparency during the February 25 poll severely damaged public confidence.
Andrews expressed concerns about the transparency of BVAS and INEC’s results viewing portal (IReV), which affected the elections’ integrity.
The EU also criticized the fines imposed on media houses by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and highlighted issues like violence, interference by governors, voter participation, and gender inclusion.
In response, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media, Dele Alake, dismissed the report as poorly researched and relying heavily on a limited number of sources.
Tinubu strongly defended the credibility and transparency of the 2023 elections, stating that notable bodies like the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and INEC itself commended the process.
He accused the EU of attempting to discredit the election outcomes and expressed outrage at foreign entities imposing their criteria on Nigeria’s electoral process.
Tinubu pointed out that the EU’s final assessment lacked substantial evidence and questioned the limited observer coverage across Nigeria.
He asserted that technology played a crucial role in making the elections transparent and well-organized, a sentiment echoed by other non-partisan foreign and local observers.
Tinubu urged the EU and other foreign interests to be objective in their assessments and allow Nigeria to focus on nation-building and socio-economic reforms.
“In just one month in office, Nigerians appear satisfied with the decisive leadership of President Tinubu and the manner he is redirecting the country to the path of fiscal sustainability and socio-economic reforms. We urge the EU and other foreign interests to be objective in all their assessments of the internal affairs of our country and allow Nigeria to breathe.”
As the country moves forward, Tinubu’s decisive leadership in his first month in office has been positively received by Nigerians, who express satisfaction with his direction for fiscal sustainability and socio-economic reforms.
In conclusion, President Bola Tinubu remains confident in the credibility and transparency of the 2023 elections and urges foreign entities to respect Nigeria’s sovereignty in its internal affairs.