The European Union Electoral Observer Mission has said Nigeria may be running against time in the push to conduct a credible 2027 general elections.
The European Union Electoral Observer Mission (EU EOM) has warned that Nigeria may be running against time to implement reforms necessary for credible 2027 general elections.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Friday, the EU team highlighted the urgent need to fast-track ongoing electoral and constitutional reforms to ensure the next elections meet both domestic and international standards.
Barry Andrews, head of the EU follow-up mission, noted that only one of 23 recommendations from the 2023 elections has been fully implemented, with two partially implemented, eight ongoing, three too early to determine, and nine not yet addressed.
While commending Nigeria’s legislature for amending the Electoral Act 2025 and continuing constitutional reviews, Andrews stressed that “time is running out” and that political will will be critical to prevent the country from repeating the shortcomings of the 2023 elections.
He emphasized that recommendations from INEC, civil society, and the EU mission are largely aligned, calling for greater transparency, stronger accountability, inclusive representation, and enhanced independence for INEC. Andrews said the reforms must be adopted and implemented promptly to secure public trust.
The mission outlined six priority areas:
- INEC Leadership: Appointment of a new, non-partisan INEC chairperson through a transparent, merit-based process to strengthen public confidence.
- Transparency in Results: Real-time publication of polling unit and collation center results to enable citizen verification and rebuild trust.
- Women’s Representation: Passage of reserved seats legislation to improve gender balance in political institutions.
- Accountability for Electoral Offences: Strengthening prosecution of vote buying, intimidation, and other electoral violations.
- Clear Legal Framework: Resolving inconsistencies and ambiguities in electoral laws to allow proper planning and voter education ahead of elections.
- Media Freedom: Protecting journalists and ensuring freedom of expression to support informed public debate.
Andrews stressed that progress will require both legislative action and political determination, noting that Nigeria’s democratic strength depends on reforms that citizens can trust. “Political will, more than technical drafting, will determine whether these reforms succeed,” he said.
The EU mission concluded that a credible, transparent, and inclusive 2027 election is possible if reforms are fast-tracked and implemented in time.
