The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oyo State and key ad-hoc staff members during the last general election have held a post-election review meeting towards improving future elections in the country.
The post-election review meeting, held on Tuesday at the INEC Office, Agodi, Ibadan, capital of Oyo State, was meant for the betterment of future engagements of the Commission in the state.
In his remarks, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, Dr Adeniran Tella, explained that the meeting was designed to extensively review the last general election in the state.
He disclosed that participants at the meeting included both internal and external stakeholders, recalling that the Commission had met recently to kick-start what was being reviewed and evaluated at the meeting.
The REC explained that the focus of the Tuesday meeting was: Presentation of the 2023 post-election review discussion areas, template for group work presentation, format for highlights and report writing respectively, noting that the review would look into areas where things went wrong during the 2023 general election.
He stated: “Where to make some amendment, areas of improvement such that the main objective of the Commission would be achieved as a guide for subsequent elections.”
Tella urged the participants to give the review all the seriousness it deserves, saying that would allow the Commission to make an informed assessment ahead of the coming 2027 general election.
On her part, a facilitator from the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Mrs Annes Aderibigbe, noted that the post-election retreat was to review whàt transpired during the last general election, with the aim of looking at the areas where the Commission needs improvement.
Aderibigbe said the experiences, challenges, recommendations and suggestions of all the election actors present at the meeting would be harnessed.
She stated that the outcome of the review would improve election processes in Nigeria and make INEC to become a yardstick for election management in Africa.
Olusola Akintonde
