The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Danjuma Sheni, while signing the documents on behalf of the Nigerian government yesterday said Nigeria welcomes the European Union as observers of its elections.
Sheni said, “Such observers lend credibility to the legitimacy of the elections. This is precisely why Nigeria is willing to sign this MOU with the European Union Delegation. The EU observed our 2011 elections which were declared one of the freest and fairest elections in Nigeria.”
Sheni recalled that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has given the assurances that the fast approaching general election will conform to best international practices. He, therefore, urged the EU and other international partners to continue to work with and assist the electoral body live up to expectations.
“I want to state that Nigeria is committed to having free, fair, credible, transparent and peaceful elections. The government of Nigeria therefore looks forward to receiving the EU observer mission team to monitor our election as soon as possible.”
“Nigeria welcomes the European Union as observers of its elections just as others because of the importance of neutral observers in the electoral process.”
He added that such observers tend to put a stamp on credible and legitimate elections and Nigeria welcomes them to help us strengthen our democratic institutions ahead of 2015 elections.
The Head of Political, Governance and Democracy Section of the EU Delegation, to Nigeria, Mr. Alan Munday, reiterated the commitment of the EU to supporting democracy in partner countries such as Nigeria.
“We support democracy in all our partner countries where they wish to, and in the case of Nigeria, in a young democracy, to strengthen the democratic process, the democratic principles,” Munday said.
While noting that the objective of any observer mission was not to criticise, Munday stated that it was to deliver an independent report to the authorities of the inviting countries, with a view to, in the future, if there are things that could be made better, to again improve the democratic processes.
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