The ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM), on Monday, urged candidates to respect the outcome of the just concluded elections.

The head of the mission and former Sierra Leonean President, Ernest Bai Koroma, who made the claim, advised aggrieved parties to resort, if the need arises, to legal channels to resolve any electoral dispute.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Mr Koroma, in his preliminary report, asked political parties to encourage their members and followers to desist from the use of inflammatory utterances.

He also urged them to refrain from acts likely to incite violence in the post-electoral phase. Describing Nigeria as the powerhouse of the West African region, he said Nigerian elections are important for the entire ECOWAS region.