European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) to Nigeria, yesterday said it would monitor the forthcoming general elections in all parts of Nigeria, except three states that are flashpoints in the Niger Delta, where militant groups have either kidnapped or killed a number of foreign nationals in the last couple of months.
Chief Observer and leader of the team of monitors, Mr Max van den Berg, said the team would be unable to monitor the elections in Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta States, due to reports of insecurity. He, however, assured that international observers would liaise with local election observer groups in the country to ensure that the April 14 and 21 elections in the three states were also monitored.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Berg said the EU Election Observation Missions was an important instrument for building confidence in the democratic processes of any country and has been deployed in line with the EU�s commitment to promote democracy, human rights and respect for the rule of law in Nigeria. THISDAY learnt that the EU has made available some six million Euros from the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), for this mission.
Berg allayed fears in some quarters that the international election monitors may have been deployed to serve the interests of a particular political party or interest group, assuring that all election observers were bound by a strict code of conduct that guarantees their neutrality and impartiality.
He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the political parties to adhere strictly to the principles of fair play, and ensure transparency.
The EOM Core Team of 11 persons has been deployed to co-ordinate the assessment, while a total of 66 Long Term Observers (LTOs) will be deployed to assess the electioneering campaign period and pre-election preparations around the country. Similarly, another team of Short Term Observers (STOs), will be deployed over the election day periods to observe voting, counting and the tabulation of results.
The EU�s core team includes professionals in key political, electoral and legal issues, and are supported by logistic and security experts.
On election day, the EU will be represented by 130 observers to observe voting and counting in polling stations, as well as the tabulation of results. The team will collect and verify information concerning the election process, which will be used to prepare a
preliminary statement of findings and conclusions issued within 48 hours of election day.
The EU EOM will remain in Nigeria for some time after the elections, while the final report of its findings will be released about three months after the elections.
He said the EU Observer Mission, by its mandate, would only stop at making recommendations based on its findings and had no powers to compel the Nigerian government to implement such recommendations.
On the preparedness of INEC for the elections, Berg, who has visited the headquarters of the electoral commission to ascertain the level of preparedness, said his team had drawn the attention of INEC to the issues of more voter education, display of the voters register where it has not been done, as well as making public locations of proposed polling centres before the elections.
According to him, INEC appeared ready for the exercise and has given assurance that necessary machinery will be put in place before the polls.