As voting comes to a close, the European Union Observer Mission deployed to the 2023 Nigerian elections and other Domestic Observers have expressed optimism over the voting process.
EU Chief Observer, Barry Andrews made this known while briefing journalists in the course of its assessment of the electoral process.
Andrews said that the EU was optimistic on favourable outcome of the polls and would be giving its conclusions, and recommendations based on all that the mission observed.
Andrews commended the process so far, noting that there were more than 100 international observers from EU and other non-member countries across Nigeria observing the election on the invitation of the government.
“Our long-term observers have been deployed since late January, and short-term observers during this week are at polling units throughout the country.
“We had 40 observers who began to deploy across the country in January and they are covering all 36 states and FCT, they have had engagements with stakeholders in each of the states and issued interim reports over the last three or four weeks.
“Then, we further deployed a number of short- term observers that are drawn from the embassies of the EU member states that are present in Nigeria.
“We also have representatives of Norway, Norway, Switzerland, and Canada, non-EU countries that are assisting in the short-term observer process.
“So in that way, we have a presence across the country and we will of course, coordinate with other observation missions to some extent, including domestic observation missions, which we’ve seen some of them here today at the polling unit,” Andrews said.
Yusuf Hussain, a Domestic Observer from Nigerians in Diaspora Group also expressed his optimism over the 2023 election.
Hussain commended calm and peaceful environment across polling units in the FCT, commending the presence of the EU and other foreign observers for their interest in Nigeria’s democracy.
He added that as domestic observers, they have also responded to questions from the EU observers and other foreign observation missions to assist them with their reports.
“The presence of the EU observers going to different polling units to observe what is happening is really encouraging.
“The EU observers also asked me some questions about the voting, which will enable them to file a comprehensive report and it’s really commendable,” he said.