By KEMI KASUMU
An Islamic human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has faulted the final report of the European Union observer team on Nigeria’s 2023 general election. MURIC described the report as an imperialist agenda.
The group spoke on Tuesday 4th July, 2023 through its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
His full statement: “The Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observer Mission (EU EOM), Barry Andrews, at a news conference in Abuja last week presented its final report on the 2023 general election in Nigeria. The report was an undisguised indictment of Nigeria’s electoral system.
“We are nonplussed by this blatant attempt to push an imperialist agenda down the throat of Nigerians. The report is a premeditated attempt at inciting anarchy in the country with the hope of gaining political and economic influence at the outbreak of commotion.
“The EU EOM final report is the odd one out when juxtaposed with those of other election monitoring groups. We saw nothing close to this in the report of the US-based International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). NDI/IRI came with 40 observers from 20 countries led by Dr. Joyce Banda, former president of Malawi. They did not sow any seed of confusion.
“229 different observer groups deployed 146,913 domestic and international monitors. 33 of these were international observer missions which deployed 2,113 observers and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INED) threw its doors wide open for them.
“Why is the EU EOM report a different cup of tea? Is this group trying to tell the world that the Commonwealth Observer Group led by Thabo Mbeki which also covered the elections is blind? The African Union had its team and so did the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) observer team led by Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan.
“Nigerians should not allow the EU EOM to destabilise the country. Imperialists will never teach you what will benefit your country but what will make you despise it. The aim is divide et impera. MURIC rejects this EU EOM report. It is jaundiced.” #EUEOMReportImperialistAgenda
