The U.S. Department of State’s 2023 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Nigeria has highlighted a series of issues that tainted the election which brought Bola Ahmed Tinubu to power. The election was marred by violence, vote-buying, and intimidation.
The report, released on Thursday, also highlighted various irregularities during the presidential, legislative, and governorship elections.
The report cited an incident during the March 18 state election in Lagos, where All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters reportedly intimidated and suppressed voters in Igbo-dominated areas, which Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, won in the February 25 national election. Viral videos on social media showed APC supporters threatening to attack ethnic Igbo voters and attacking journalists, shutting down voting, and preventing non-Yoruba voters from accessing polls.
The report also highlighted the persistent underrepresentation of women and marginalized groups in Nigerian politics. Religious, cultural, and economic barriers were cited as contributing factors for the underrepresentation, with the national average of women’s political participation in Nigeria at 6.7 per cent in elected and appointed positions.
The report further noted that media outlets often stereotyped women politicians as “promiscuous” or “cunning” and in some cases refused to cover their campaigns allegedly on the orders of opposition officials and candidates.
The European Union and international observers had also raised the same concerns about the transparency and credibility of the 2023 Nigerian general election. These reports highlighted instances of vote-buying, intimidation, and violence, which could potentially have impacted the election outcome.
Despite these challenges, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared Tinubu the winner, raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
The U.S. Department of State report and the concerns raised by international observers highlight the significant challenges faced during the 2023 Nigerian elections and the need for improvements in the electoral process to ensure a more democratic and inclusive political environment.
