By Nkechi Eze
The week long study visit by top officials of the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA) of Benin Republic to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which began on Monday, ended today with a debriefing held at the INEC Headquarters, Abuja.
The 12 -member delegation led by the CENA President, Dr. Sacca Lafia, was in Nigeria to understudy INEC’s processes and procedures as part of preparations for three critical elections scheduled for January and April 2026 in Benin Republic.
A statement from INEC’s X handle said, “Specifically, the legislative and local elections will take place in January 2026, while the Presidential election is scheduled for April 2026.
“The delegation was, in the course of the study tour, treated to a plethora of nine robust presentations and interactive sessions.”
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Prof. Francois Abiola, member of the CENA Electoral Council, expressed appreciation to INEC for the hospitality accorded his team and the insightful presentations.
He affirmed that the delegation learnt a lot from the weeklong interactions.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, thanked the delegation for the visit, just as he underscored the importance of regional cooperation and synergy among ECOWAS Electoral Commissions.