Polls: Know your limits, Jega tells observers

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, has told 106 domestic and international observers not to overstep their bounds during March 28 and April 11 general elections. He said their past actions had led to tension in the polity.

Briefing the Accredited Observers, in Abuja yesterday, Jega who educated the participants on the difference between election observation and monitoring, warned that respecting the sovereignty and laws of Nigeria, abiding by guidelines and regulations of INEC, attendance at briefings, careful, dedicated observation and to issue honest report on the elections are part of their duties.

“I would like to draw your attention to one cardinal distinction that INEC makes through its guidelines for election observation. According to INEC Guidelines for Election Observation, there is a fundamental difference between the two. An election monitor is an integral part of the election management structure and has a role in the administration of the election. In Nigeria, only INEC and its duly-authorized personnel are empowered to monitor elections.

“An observer, on the other hand, does not have any role in the administration of the election nor any control or oversight functions. That is the distinction between election observation and election monitoring. It is important to clarify these because observers in the past sometimes overreach the limits of our conception of observation, which often results in tension and disagreements.

“It is important to clarify these because observers in the past, sometimes overreached the limits of our conception of observation, which often resulted in tension and disagreements. Indeed, the Nigerian legal system expressly states that a cardinal function of INEC is to monitor the electoral process.

“The responsibilities of observers include respecting the sovereignty and laws of Nigeria, abiding by guidelines and regulations of INEC, attendance at briefings, careful, dedicated observation and issuing honest report on the election,” he noted.

Jega said: “The existence of guidelines ensure that all parties recognize that election observation is a cooperative exercise in which all sides have rights and duties, which collectively ensure that the highest democratic standards apply.

“In their conduct, observers are also expected to declare any conflict of interest, be impartial and unobtrusive, ensure that their reports and conclusions are evidence-based, eschew prejudgment of the process, always carry proper identification, be careful about comments in the media, be prudent in receiving gifts and favours and avoid involvement in disputes,” Jega said.