The Federal Government has asked the European Union (EU) for support in its efforts to strengthen and deepen its democratic practices, particularly with regard to its electoral processes.
George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, made the statement while hosting a delegation from the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in his office. The delegation was led by Chief Observer Barry Andrews.
When discussing the trajectory of Nigeria’s democratic growth, the SGF noted that the country has seen significant improvements in its electoral procedures over time. As a result, the SGF made a call for support to build on the successes already made since the return of democracy to the nation.
He thanked the European Union Observation Mission for participating in the 2023 General Election across the country and emphasized the importance of the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the electoral process which was a game changer during the election.
Akume observed that the country made a lot of progress in the 2023 general elections and called on the EU to continue to support such progress made to advance democratic principles in the country.
Speaking earlier, the leader of the EU Delegation said the purpose of their visit was to present their final report of the 2023 General Election which they monitored after their deployment to Nigeria.
He continued by saying that the report includes six important suggestions, some of which are constitutional, legislative, and administrative in nature.
He added that the EU EOM will send a follow-up mission to Nigeria in two years to check on the progress of the execution of its recommendations in order to deepen their report on the 2023 General Election.
Samuela Isopi, the ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), also spoke during the event and noted that the EU has been working with INEC and other important stakeholders to strengthen democracy.
She continued by saying that the Union is prepared to continue supporting the country’s electoral procedures and to make investments in other crucial economic sectors.
Ada Peter
