UK commends Osun election conduct and urges lessons for Nigeria’s 2027 polls

The British High Commission commended Osun voters for their peaceful participation in the recent governorship election, urging lessons from the Osun electi Read More: https://punchng.com/uk-mission-praises-osun-voters-urges-lessons-from-election/

 The British High Commission has commended the conduct of the Osun governorship election and congratulated Ademola Adeleke on his re-election as governor.   In a statement issued on Monday, the High Commission said it met with a range of stakeholders in advance of election day and deployed its own team of accredited observers.   “Based on their observations, and consistent with the findings of credible independent observer groups with wider deployments across the state, we welcome several encouraging signs of a positive democratic process,” the statement reads.   “This includes the opening of polls as scheduled in many locations, the commitment of security personnel to maintaining order, and the effective implementation of electoral procedures by INEC officials.   “Most of all, we were encouraged by the patience, resilience and participation demonstrated by voters throughout the day.”   The high commission said it noted reports of isolated incidents that generated tension before and during the electoral process, including voter interference, vote-buying across party lines, limited access for people with disabilities and for elderly people, as well as overcrowding due to the speed and limited provision of BVAS devices for accreditation.   The British High Commission urged relevant institutions to review the issues carefully and to draw lessons that strengthen public confidence, transparency and accountability, including recommendations from CSOs such as the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room.   “As Nigeria looks ahead to the 2027 general elections, we note that off-cycle elections benefit from the availability of additional personnel and resources that may be more difficult to replicate at nationwide scale,” the statement reads.   “We nevertheless hope that the experience of the Osun election will help inform further improvements that strengthen the integrity, inclusiveness and credibility of future electoral processes.”   The commission said the UK remains committed to working with Nigeria’s electoral institutions, civil society and other partners to support peaceful, transparent, inclusive and credible elections, and to strengthen the democratic institutions that underpin them.