The President (Chairman) of the Commission Electorale Nationale Autonomie (CENA) of the Republic of Benin, Dr. Sacca Lafia, has sought for collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria to ensure the success of the 2006 general elections in that country.
He made the call yesterday when he led a 12-man delegation on a study visit to INEC headquarters in Abuja.
The primary aim of the visit was for CENA to learn from Nigeria’s electoral processes, procedures, and best practices as they prepare for their upcoming 2026 elections.
However, both countries are members of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) and had a standing memorandum of understanding (MoU) to assist each other in areas of collaboration for successful elections and to deepen democracy.
Receiving the delegation, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said that early last month, INEC received a letter from CENA indicating its interest to undertake a study visit to INEC Nigeria as they prepare for what they described as their most complex election in 2026.
Yakubu said, “For this reason, the president of the commission (CENA) is leading a 12-member delegation, comprising national commissioners, directors and critical staff to understudy our processes and procedures.”
(Daily Trust)
