Reports on Nigeria's 2015 General Elections
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1 Report on Nigeria’s 2015 General Elections 28 March & 11 April 2015 Situation Room Secretariat: c/o Policy and Legal Advocacy Center (PLAC) Guzape District, Off Edwin Clark Way, via Gilmor Junction, Guzape, Abuja, Nigeria Telephone: 09095050505, 09032999919 Web: www.placng.org/situationroom Facebook: facebook.com/situationroomnigeria Twitter: @situationroomng Email: [email protected] July 2015 II III ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room implemented a programme of robust engagement with Nigeria’s democratic process and 2015 general elections, which culminated in the conduct of the most successful general elections in recent Nigerian history. Situation Room wishes to express profound appreciation to the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) for its wholehearted support of Situation Room’s work on democracy and governance including observation of the 2015 general elections. Situation Room is also grateful to the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) for its support and involvement in the work of the Situation Room. Our gratitude further extends to The Ford Foundation for supporting the team of experts who joined in providing analysis of the election trend during the 2015 elections. Situation Room is also grateful to the individuals and experts that constitute the Steering Committee of the Situation Room, the organisations in the Situation Room platform and several of the other individual organisations and partners that support the Situation Room. We would also like to express sincere thanks to all the network of observers across Nigeria, experts, the media, volunteers and staff who devoted their time and knowledge to the success of the Situation Room’s engagement of the electoral process. To our colleagues in the International community, we express our appreciation for the collaborative efforts and coordination of activities. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgment IV Table of Contents V Foreword 1 Executive Summary 2 Part I – Introduction 5The N The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room Contex Context of the 2015 General Elections Outcome of the 2011 elections Outcome of the 2011 Elections Build up to the 2015 Elections Build up to the 2015 elections Part II – Polling Preparations 17 Legal Framework for 2015 Elections Legal Framework for 2015 Elections Governmental Institutions and Electoral System Governmental Institutions and Electoral System Election Management Election Management Constituency Delimitation and Reorganization of Polling Units Constituency delimitation and reorganization of polling units Voter Registration Voter registration Political Parties and Candidates Political Parties and Candidates Election Campaign Election Campaign Campaign Finance Campaign Finance Part III- Polling, Counting and Results 37 28 March 2015: Presidential and National Assembly Elections 28 March 2015: Presidential and National Assembly Elections 11 April 2015: Gubernatorial and Houses of Assembly Elections 11 April 2015: Gubernatorial and Houses of Assembly Elections Election Results Election Results Security and Election-related violence Security and Election-related violence Part IV – Recommendations 47 Picture Gallery 53 Appendices 57 V FOREWORD The 2015 Nigeria General elections represented The uncertainties that surrounded the holding a milestone in Nigeria’s democratic development. of the 2015 general elections including that For the first time in Nigeria’s history the main of violence ahead of the elections was a special opposition candidate, General Muhammadu concern for Situation Room. When it seemed that Buhari won the presidential elections defeating the Nigerian Government was going to interfere incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan who with the conduct of the 2015 general elections conceded defeat and congratulated Buhari on his through “forced pre-retirement leave” of INEC victory. Chair, Prof. Attahiru Jega, Situation Room led civil Elections in Nigeria are often controversial, society challenge of this. Situation Room was also even disputed. In the 2015 general elections, the able to rally public support for INEC that enabled two main parties - APC and PDP had fought a it implement a programme of distribution of hard and divisive campaign full of intemperate Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) that was used in language. The campaigns leading up to the the elections. A game changer in the elections was elections brought to the fore the divisiveness of the introduction of Smart Card Readers (SCR). Nigeria’s politics especially along ethnic, religious The politicians and candidates were unfamiliar and regional lines. It was also very expensive. with and even afraid of the Card Readers, as they The role of key actors in the electoral process had not learnt how to manipulate it. Thus, extent particularly the Nigeria Civil Society Situation of their ability to rig the elections became limited. Room (Situation Room) and the International The 2015 general elections have proved to be Community contributed in no small measure to very positive for Nigeria’s democracy. It delivered dousing some of the main concerns. credible elections, renewed citizens’ confidence Situation Room’s interventions were very in the electoral process and has offered fresh critical. In January 2015, Situation Room hosted possibilities for improvement in better election former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan to delivery in the country. Expectations are however a dialogue session where he spoke about the high amongst Nigerians that the new government importance of Nigeria’s elections to the African will respond to the challenges of development and Continent and the need to avoid conflict and governance confronting Nigeria. Situation Room degeneration to any sort of conflagration. Former would continue the important role of engaging Secretary-general Kofi Annan also met in the Nigeria’s democratic process to achieve needed same period with key political stakeholders reforms. including then incumbent President Jonathan, his challenger General Muhammadu Buhari and Clement Nwankwo Executive Director, PLAC other opposition parties. He preached the message Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation of peace to all political contestants. Room 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Nigeria’s 2015 general elections were the fifth of a politically-motivated postponement of the elections since the country returned to civil rule in elections, and gaps in electoral preparations, 1999. The elections were originally scheduled for posed serious obstacles to the smooth conduct of the 14th and the 28th of February, however, these the elections. dates were changed following security concerns Although several amendments aimed at raised by the National Security Adviser, Sambo improving the legal framework for the 2015 Dasuki. The elections subsequently took place general elections were proposed, the National on the 28th of March (for the presidency and the Assembly could not complete the amendment National Assembly) and on the 11th of April (for process before the elections took place. The state governors and State Houses of Assembly). National Assembly only submitted the bills seeking The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, to amend the Constitution and Electoral Act to a broad platform of civil society groups seeking President Goodluck Jonathan for his assent in to provide a more effective response to electoral mid-March 2015, a few days before the elections. failure in the country, was actively involved in In the end, the existing legal framework proved observing the elections. The Situation Room, an adequate basis for the conduct of the elections whose secretariat is hosted by the Policy and Legal in accordance with international democratic Advocacy Centre (PLAC), provided a platform principles and with the international instruments for sharing information among civic groups, real- ratified by the Federal Republic of Nigeria. time analyses of field reports by election observers, As part of preparations for the 2015 elections, objective insights into the challenges of the election INEC implemented several reforms including a management body, rapid response to emergencies comprehensive restructuring of its bureaucracy, the - especially election violence - and constructive development of new communications and gender engagement between civil society and other policies, and an overhaul of its operational and election stakeholders, including the Independent logistics strategy through the introduction of three National Election Commission (INEC). core innovations: the Election Project Plan (EPP), The 2015 elections provided an opportunity the Election Management System (EMS), and for Nigeria to consolidate the gains it made during the Business Process Review (BPR). The extent to the 2011 elections, which had been hailed by which the implementation of these reforms helped observers as the freest and fairest in the country to improve election management during the 2015 since 1999. However, competing claims to the elections has not been determined, but the myriad presidency by northern and southern politicians, challenges faced by INEC in conducting the 2015 a keenly-contested campaign smeared by elections raise doubts about their effectiveness. inflammatory messages, the grave security threat The presidential and National Assembly posed by the Boko Haram insurgency, allegations elections held on the 28th of March were conducted 2 in a generally peaceful and orderly manner with The Situation Room observed that in spite of enthusiastic voters