The National Peace Council (NPC), in collaboration with the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) and other election partners, has called on political parties to withdraw their supporters from collation centres.
This appeal follows reports that supporters of major political parties have been instructed to gather at these centres to “protect the ballots,” raising concerns about potential disruptions to the electoral process.
The NPC expressed alarm over this development, emphasizing that such actions could delay the collation of election results and escalate tensions.
“It is essential that political parties exercise restraint by withdrawing their supporters from the collation centres and allow their accredited agents to observe the collation process,” the council stated.
Highlighting the critical role of the Electoral Commission (EC) and security personnel, the Peace Council urged all stakeholders to respect electoral rules. It underscored the need for a peaceful environment to ensure the free, fair, and transparent delivery of election results. The statement further stressed that interference at collation centres undermines the credibility of the election.
The NPC concluded with a strong reminder: “Political parties must allow Electoral Commission personnel to carry out their duties with professionalism and integrity in order to deliver a free, fair, and transparent election.”
This message aims to safeguard the democratic process and prevent unnecessary delays in result declaration.
