Nigeria has a very strong and proud democratic history of peaceful transition of power in recent years, UN Spokesperson, Stephanie Dujarric has said.
Dujarric, who was reacting from New York, said the UN technical support to INEC to use technology to manage the elections was fruitful.
He confirmed that the United National Development Programme (UNDP), provided technical support to the INEC, saying “we are not an observer on these elections.
“There’s not for the UN to say Yes or No on how the elections were run. I think, Nigeria has a very strong and proud democratic history of peaceful transition of power in recent years. There is a process ongoing.
“It is important at this point in arny election, in any country, and we’ve seen it in the North, we’ve seen it in the South and East and West, we’ve seen issues of great tension following elections when people didn’t accept the results.
“It is important that all stakeholders work for the better, for the stability of the country and use existing legal and constitutional channels to challenge, if they so wish, any election results,’’ the spokesperson said.
He said the UN system had continued to provide electoral assistance to national electoral authorities and support to a non-governmental network of organisations focusing on capacity building, promoting transparency and the inclusion of youth and women.
“Included in this support to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been technical support mainly through United National Development Programme (UNDP), to improve the process and use of technology in preparing for and managing the election.’’
In addition, the spokesperson said he had seen reports that a number of the other candidates would contest, “if I read those reports properly”.
“What is important is that as in any election, any… that if any candidate or group of candidates have an issue with the results that they go through the established legal and constitutional channels to work out their challenges.
“And it is very important for everyone to remain calm as that process or these processes play out,’’ he said.
The Nigeria’s electoral commission, INEC on Wednesday declared Sen. Bola Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.
