Nigeria: The April 2011 Elections and Beyond

 

Dr. Attahiru Jega

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria

 

 

Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh 

NDI Senior Associate for Africa

 

Dr. Peter M. Lewis 

Director of the SAIS African Studies Program

 

Panelists:

 

Carlo Binda 

NDI Nigeria Senior Resident Director

 

Dr. Gwendolyn Mikell 

Georgetown University Professor of Anthropology and Foreign Service

 

Richard L. Klein 

NDI Senior Advisor for Election Processes

 

Eric Guttschuss 

Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch

 

Jennifer Cooke 

Director of the CSIS Africa Program

 

 

Dr. Pauline Baker 

President Emeritus at The Fund for Peace

 

Nigeria’s April 2011 elections represented a step forward from the seriously flawed elections of the past and hold the promise of new standards for integrity in Nigeria’s electoral process. Many domestic and international observer missions have commended the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the conduct of the security forces, citizen election observers and millions of voters who waited patiently to cast ballots and see them counted on election day. But, the polls also revealed persistent challenges and logistical problems that should be addressed to enhance the credibility of future elections. Furthermore, tensions in the wake of the presidential election led to serious incidents of violence in the northern part of the country.

 

During this event, INEC Chairman Dr. Attahiru Jega discussed the accomplishments and challenges faced by the electoral commission. Nonpartisan analysts, all of whom were in Nigeria during the elections, shared views of the electoral process and its potential impact on the consolidation of democratic governance in Africa’s most populous country.