EXPERT CONVERSATION ON INEC AND ELECTORAL MATTERS IN NIGERIA

EXPERT CONVERSATION ON INEC AND ELECTORAL MATTERS IN NIGERIA
UYO, MARCH 21-24, 2016

SUMMARY REPORT ON SEMINAR PROCEEDINGS

PREPARED BY THE INDEPENDENT SERVICE DELIVERY MONITORING GROUP

Table of Contents
Title page i
Table of Contents ii
1. Introduction 1
2. Summary of Report Proceedings 4
2.1 Electoral Violence and Security Management 4
2.2 Administration of Bio-metric Technology in the Electoral Process (e-Voting) 8
2.3 Voter Education 10
2.4 Legal Framework of INEC: Issues and Challenges 13
2.5. Innovative Ideas to Enhance the Performance of the EMB in the Conduct of
Elections in Nigeria 16
3. Conclusion 18

1. Introduction
The Expert Group on Electoral Reforms (EGER) domiciled within the Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group (ISDMG), held its retreat at Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts, Uyo, on March 21-23, 2016. Guided by the theme ‘INEC and Electoral Matters in Nigeria’, the Group drew participants from a broad spectrum of civil society actors serving as practitioners in diverse fields of socio-political engagements including Law, the media, and public policy, with many years of experience in monitoring elections in Nigeria from 1999 till date.

The strategic meeting was kick-started by a general introduction and welcome address by the Executive Director, ISDMG who contextualized the emergence of the Group within the unhappy development trajectory of Nigeria’s democracy since 1999 with particular reference to the conduct of elections; indeed, he noted that as laudable as the unprecedented voting out of an incumbent president in the 2015 election was, brought about by the novel use of technology, it was replete with significant flaws which resulted in the nullification of several elections. The retreat he explained, was set up to bring together, civil society members engaging with the electoral process to brainstorm on emerging issues and challenges of INEC and proffer solutions and suggestion to better manage the preparation for and conduct of elections in Nigeria. Dr Amadi expressed optimism that policy recommendations from the meeting would be considered and utilized by the Election Management Body (EMB) in Nigeria.