EU tasks ECOWAS sub-region on dangers of delay in electoral reforms

Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ketil Karisen, has alerted the sub-region to the dangers of postponing political reforms.

He stressed that such reforms were needed mostly after any general election like the recently concluded 2019 polls in Nigeria.

He, however, lamented that President Muhammadu Buhari did not sign the electoral bill that would have elevated the electoral process to electronic system as passed by the National Assembly.

Buhari had cited nearness to the election for refusing to sign the bill, even as he promised to assent to it after the general elections.

Karisen spoke yesterday at a symposium on: The Promotion of Inclusivity in The Electoral Process: Women, Youth and Persons With Disability, at the sixth ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC).

“It is important not to wait until it is too late. There is a dilemma in waiting for political reforms when they are most needed until after election, as there is quite often no political will. When it becomes possible right immediately before the elections, then it is too late,” Karisen stated.

He said for continued stability and economic growth of countries in the West African sub-region, inclusivity must be provided for in electoral process, adding: “It is about the legitimacy and giving a voice to our people.

“If that inclusivity is not provided, we risk undermining our democracy and the continued stability and economic growth of our countries and region. That is why we are looking at participation of the youths, women, people with disability, marginalised poor people and internally displaced persons (IDPs).”

Karisen argued that if the countries fail to seek full participation of these groups fundamentally at the end of today, they risk undermining the very political platforms that they have created with such sacrifices by many key politicians.

Drawing some lessons from the 2019 general elections in Nigeria, he said: “Looking at the recent election experience in Nigeria, I see a lot of hope moving forward.

“There are some positive takeaways and there are some negative ones. On the positive side, we saw the passing of the ‘not-too-young-to-run’ bill that allows younger people to participate in the electoral process.

“We saw it in the passing of a Bill for people with disabilities. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in particular championed new and innovative ways of having people with disabilities vote during the polls.”

He said they also saw serious shortcomings and challenges, adding: “As the deputy speaker mentioned before, there was low participation and election of women at the polls.

“So, we should not undermine the challenges before us, we should not sleep on any laurels if we do not take the kind of challenges that we are facing serious, then we would overlook some of the action needed to be taken.”

Karisen enjoined participants not to consider inclusivity as something for the international community and projects to handle at the end of the day.

“Somebody said politics is too important to leave to politicians alone. Maybe, I am not the right person to say this, but I will say it nevertheless, inclusivity in the democratic processes is far too important to leave to the international community and projects alone.

“This is about your policies, your nations, it is about building real chains so that the change agenda takes to supporting exactly that,” he added.

He stressed that all hands should be on deck since a workable electoral system takes full participation and political will, adding: “That is why I was so reassured listening to representatives of the National Assembly committing themselves to these reforms.”