Osun State, Nigeria– An international pre-election assessment mission arrived in Osun State today to monitor the voting process for the state’s gubernatorial elections on July 16, 2022. This is the first of two missions jointly led by the  International Republican Institute (IRI) and  National Democratic Institute (NDI) to evaluate Nigeria’s preparations for the 2023 general elections. The high-level delegation will present its findings and recommendations on the pre-election environment and preparations for the 2023 elections at a press conference in Abuja on July 22, 2022. 

The delegation will meet with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ruling and opposition political parties citizen observer groups, civil society organizations, and other opinion leaders in Osun State and Abuja. 

The delegation includes Frank LaRose, Secretary of State for Ohio (USA); Honorable Dr. Bernadette Lahai, former minority Leader of the Sierra Leone Parliament (Sierra Leone); Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate and regional director for Central and West Africa at NDI (Cameroon); Albert Kofi Arhin, national coordinator of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers and former director of Elections, Registration and Demarcation at the Ghana Electoral Commission (Ghana); and Jenai Cox, regional deputy director for Africa at IRI (USA).  

“The purpose of the delegation’s trip to Nigeria is to assess the pre-election environment ahead of 2023,” said Secretary LaRose. “The Osun gubernatorial election will provide valuable insights into the reforms pursued by INEC since 2019 and what is being done at a more localized level to ensure credible elections occur next year.” 

IRI and NDI will conduct a second pre-election assessment mission to Nigeria later this year and will jointly deploy international observers for national elections scheduled to take place in February 2023. 

NDI and IRI have organized more than 200 international election observation missions around the globe, earning a reputation for impartiality and professionalism. The joint IRI-NDI mission to Nigeria will conduct its activities in accordance with the  Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and Code of Conduct  adopted by the United Nations in 2005, and will base its findings and recommendations on Nigerian laws and international standards for elections. All activities will be conducted on a strictly nonpartisan basis and without interfering in the election process. 

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A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, IRI advances freedom and democracy worldwide by helping political parties to become more responsive, strengthening transparent and accountable governance, and working to increase the role of marginalized groups in the political process – including women and youth. More information is available at www.iri.org. 

NDI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government. More information is available at www.ndi.org.