The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has berated Nigerian Security forces for their role in the governorship election in Osun state.
The regional body said the international community and Nigerian voters believe that the security agents were used to create problems for the electoral process.
The position of ECOWAS was revealed when the Head of Political Affairs, of the regional organisation, Dr Remi Ajibewa, visited the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) alongside other ECOWAS officials on Sunday.
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Ajibewa praised INEC for a good conduct of the elections but berated the security agencies whom he said undermined the work of the electoral body in the state.
According to a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, INEC said;
“He (Ajibewa) commended the commission for the conduct of the Osun State governorship election but regretted that while INEC did its best, the international community and voters feared that security agents might have been used to create problems for the electoral process.”
The ECOWAS official had also expressed the need for INEC to carry all stakeholders, comprising political parties, the media, civil society organisations and security agencies, along as it prepares for the general elections.
He said further that INEC should also work in tandem with the police to secure the electoral process.
Gen. Francis Behanzin, who headed the ECOWAS delegation to INEC, said ECOWAS would deploy 200 observers in Nigeria to monitor the 2019 general elections which will begin in February next year.
According to Gen. Behanzin the purpose of the visit of the regional body was to find out about INEC’s preparation for next year’s general elections as well as the challenges it was facing, in view of Nigeria’s large voter population of over 80 million.
He described Nigeria as a very big country while pledging financial support for the conduct of the elections.
Behanzin further expressed gratitude to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for his contributions towards the improvement of the electoral process and sustenance of democracy across the West-African sub-region.