Commonwealth Observer Group Lauds Biometric Voters Register

Commonwealth Observer Group Lauds Biometric Voters Register
Udo Etefia, Calabar and Hauwa Nuro Ali, Abuja

The Commonwealth Observer group in Nigeria has commended the country’s electoral body for its idea of a new biometric voters’ register. 

The group noted that it was a significant factor in the credibility of the 2011 elections.

Chairman of the Group, Former Botswana President, Festus Mogae, stated this in an interim statement.

He however called for an update of the register to include all eligible voters and thereafter be properly maintained.

The statement said that such an update would address all anomalies currently being identified in the voters’ register.

It also urged political parties to mainstream gender policies and significantly increase the number of women in positions of leadership and decision making process.

EU Pass mark  

In a related development, the European Election observation Mission EU EOM to Nigeria says the conduct of last Saturdays Presidential election marked an important step to strengthening democratic elections in the Country

Chief Observer of the European Union election Observation mission Mr Aloz Peterle told Journalists in Abuja that there were substantial improvements compared to the Parliamentary Election.

He   stated that some challenges facing the electoral process must be addressed so as not to have a negative impact on the trust of the voters in the integrity of the electoral process.

In her remark, Mariya Nedelcheva, the Head of the four-member delegation of the European parliament, which joined the EU Observation Mission for the presidential election said that Saturday’s election was proof that the Nigerian authorities, institutions and electorates are determined to remain owners of their destiny and run even better elections in the future.

Good Step Forward

The National Democratic Institute NDI Observer delegation, in their report, said that Nigeria’s just completed Presidential and Parliamentary elections represent a step forward from seriously flawed elections of the past and hold the promise of setting a new standard for integrity in Nigeria’s electoral process.

Qasim/Ekata