Foreign observers praise election conduct

Saturday’s National Assembly election has drawn rare praise from major international observer delegations including the Commonwealth and the American-led National Democratic Institute.

Ahead of the presidential and governorship election, both teams yesterday in Abuja separately issued formal preliminary verdicts on the April 9 parliamentary poll now acclaimed as one of Nigeria’s most peaceful and well conducted.

“In our experience, the National Assembly elections generally took place in a peaceful and orderly manner. The required staff and stakeholders were present and the various stages of the electoral process on polling day broadly proceeded smoothly and transparently,” read a statement by Festus Mogae, former president of Botswana, who leads the Commonwealth mission.

The American NDI said in a statement, “In contrast to past elections in Nigeria, last Saturday’s National Assembly polls provided a real opportunity for citizens to exercise their right to vote.”