By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has revealed that it has already taken administrative steps on the 13 recommendations addressed to us from the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) on a post-election follow-up and needs assessment mission to Nigeria.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, who made the revelation in Abuja, explained that the commission is now awaiting legislative interventions from the National Assembly on matters requiring legal reform.
Yakubu spoke while playing host to a high-level delegation from the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) on a post-election follow-up and needs assessment mission to Nigeria.
The Chairman disclosed that the reforms are also captured in INEC’s 142-point recommendation document for electoral reform, which was developed through extensive consultation with stakeholders, which is available on the commission’s website.
The INEC Chairman expressed appreciation to ECONEC for its consistent partnership and to development partners who supported the mission.
The meeting, held at the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja, was aimed at reviewing Nigeria’s implementation of recommendations made by the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM) following the 2023 General Election.
The Chairperson of Liberia’s National Elections Commission and Head of the ECONEC Mission, Mrs Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, led the delegation, which included the Deputy Chairman (Corporate Services) of Ghana’s Electoral Commission, Dr. Bossman Asare; the Acting Permanent Secretary of ECONEC and ECOWAS Electoral Assistance Division Head, Mr. Serigne Mamadou Ka; as well as experts from GIZ, EISA, and International IDEA.
Welcoming the delegation, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, emphasized the importance of the mission, describing it as a “routine but critical” component of democratic consolidation in West Africa.
He noted that Nigeria had itself participated in several such peer missions, most recently to The Gambia in April 2025.
Prof. Yakubu lauded ECOWAS for deploying both long- and short-term observers for Nigeria’s 2023 elections and for following up with actionable recommendations.
He revealed that ECOWAS had issued 37 recommendations, 13 of which were directed at INEC, while 24 were addressed to other stakeholders, including the National Assembly, the Nigeria Police Force, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), NITDA, political parties under IPAC, civil society, the NUJ, and NIMC.
According to him, “The Commission has already taken administrative steps on the 13 recommendations addressed to us, while we await legislative interventions from the National Assembly on matters requiring legal reform.
“These reforms are also captured in INEC’s 142-point recommendation document for electoral reform, which was developed through extensive consultation with stakeholders and is available on our website”, he explained.
The INEC Chairman expressed appreciation to ECONEC for its consistent partnership and to development partners who supported the mission.
He specifically acknowledged EISA’s Lenny Taabu, IDEA’s Emmanuel Kissi, and GIZ’s Michael Agada for their technical input.
Prof. Yakubu also extended heartfelt gratitude to the ECONEC Secretariat staff for their professionalism and relentless support for electoral development in the region.
