The group identified 10 threats namely: security, trust deficit, judiciary, infrastructure, tight presidential race, voters’ access and voting rights, electoral technology, internal sabotage within the EMB, vote trading, and rising youth expectations in the electoral process; as things that could hinder free, fair and credible elections.
In a statement on Thursday, the forum focused on recent developments in the electoral process and the Supreme Court judgements, as well as assessed pre-election risks, with emphasis on how to manage different threats for the 2023 General Election during their Eighth Technical Session held 11 February 2023.
The forum noted during the meeting that current trends in the political system were multitasking and required multi-stakeholder engagement.
Considering the recent Supreme Court decisions, the forum believes that the judiciary must be called to account to ensure that their rulings and judgments do not jeopardise the electoral system or our democracy.
They also expressed concern about the impact of the Supreme Court judgement on the electoral process and its negative impact on the perception of many Nigerians about the electoral process, as they are looking for any excuse to confirm their fears.
The group noted the importance of considering the high cost of elections from both the budgetary allocation to INEC and how it may affect election preparations, as well as the costs incurred by various electoral stakeholders, including legitimate logistical costs incurred by candidates and political parties during electioneering and on election days.
Given the foregoing, the Electoral Forum advised that “judicial decisions on elections should prioritise substance over technicalities to ensure that justice is not perverted on the basis of technicalities and that people do not lose faith in the judiciary as the last hope of the common man.
“To prepare judicial officers for future elections, civil society organisations should work with the National Judicial Institute.
“One of the lessons from the Supreme Court decision is that INEC should promptly publish political party monitoring reports and make them publicly available as a way to deter those looking to influence legal proceedings and those who might want to take advantage of technicalities to thwart justice and fairness in the electoral process.
“Technicalities in electoral Court decisions should be well described to avoid misunderstandings and foster a greater awareness of these topics, particularly among the electorate.
Recent events highlight the urgent need for legal system reform and a reassessment of our laws and their application.”
