Chairperson/representatives of Election Management Bodies from 22 countries in Africa.
The Conference was declared open by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR who was represented by the Vice-President Arc. Mohammed Namadi Sambo, GCON. The conference was attended by Election Management Bodies, development partners, civil society organizations and academicians.
OBSERVATIONS
The Conference observed as follows:
1. African Countries cannot confront humanitarian and developmental challenges without conducting credible, free and fair elections.
2. African countries are in different stages of transition from authoritarian rule to democracy.
3. The conduct of elections is one of the largest, most costly and most administratively and logistically burdensome operation at a national level that a single country could ever undertake in times of peace.
4. Conducting elections involve complex and large scale operations which involves a multitude of activities and sub activities including delivery of professional training to thousands of electoral officers and ad hoc poll workers, designing and delivery voter education, registering voters, regulation of political parties, monitoring campaigns, procurement of election materials, developing voting and counting procedures, liaising with stakeholders, dealing with security, adjudicating electoral disputes etc.
5. There are a number of success stories in the conduct of elections in the continent which are worth sharing, reviewing and learning from.
6. The most critical condition for credible, free and fair election is the independence of the Election Management Body (EMB).
7. EMBs have a responsibility to conduct credible, free and fair elections by among other things providing a level playing field, providing a platform for dialogue, consultation and engagement.
8. Voter registration is recognized as a potent process of ensuring that citizens exercise their voting rights as backed by law and acceptability of electoral outcome.
9. Effective functioning of an EMB requires that each EMB prepares a concrete strategic plan; transparent appointment of non-partisan people, security of tenure, independence, neutrality and a vibrant judiciary.
10. Internally developed ICT systems have a significantly higher chance of successfully delivering value in the electoral process.
11. In all the processes, all stakeholders must be carried along. This is to ensure the requirement of participation in a democracy.
12. Provision of adequate security throughout the entire process. This should involve security of electoral officials, materials and citizens.
13. Securing the voting at the polling unit as well as counting, collation and transmission is crucial in securing elections.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The conference resolved as follows:
1. Electoral bodies in Africa resolved to employ innovative approaches to improve the management and conduct of elections in the continent to ensure credible, free and fair elections.
2. To meet regularly to exchange information and experiences; encourage the development of professionalism; and provide a framework for exchange of information and experience in election management in Africa.
3. To pursue the enactment of special laws to create opportunity to vote for groups such as law enforcement personnel involved in election duties and eligible voters in the Diaspora.
4. EMBs should ensure that polling units and registration centres are as close to the people as possible in order to promote mass participation in the electoral process.
5. Governments in Africa should introduce voter education in the school curriculum from primary to tertiary level in order to grow the appreciation of voter education among the population.
6. EMB with voter education mandate should involve political parties and CSOs in grassroots voter education exercises in a strategic and sustained manner.
7. To pursue a short period for election dispute resolution in order to reduce tension and raise the level of confidence and participation in the electoral process.
8. To push for the punishment of electoral offenders to serve as deterrence.
9. Governments in Africa should adequately fund EMBs to protect sovereignty and national interest and remove the almost complete dependence on donor agencies as in the case in some countries.
10. Donor agencies should ensure that Electoral Assistance are made in a timely manner and in line with the electoral cycle.
11. EMBs should introduce standards for accrediting local and international observer groups.
12. Internal ownership of ICT systems is required for successful implementation and utilization of the systems in the electoral process.
13. Governments in Africa should encourage women participation through affirmative action by providing in their constitutions at least 30 percent of all appointive and elective positions for women.
14. Governments should put mechanism in place to reduce the tendency of “do or die” politics and intense struggle for state power. There is the need for an electoral system that prevents a “winner takes all syndrome”. In this regard, proportional representation is recommended including combination of geographical and proportional representation.
15. To explore the possibility of revival of the African Election Management Bodies Association to serve as an avenue of continuing engagement.
16. To extend the embafrica.org web platform to provide a continuing interaction platform
Professor Attahiru Jega
Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
