FG assures ECOWAS of peaceful 2027 elections

By Favour Ulebor, Abuja The Federal Government has assured the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, of its commitment to conducting peaceful, credible, transparent and inclusive general elections in 2027. In a statement on Friday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, gave the assurance during a meeting with the ECOWAS Pre-Election Fact-Finding Mission to Nigeria, led by former Vice-President of Sierra Leone, Victor Bockarie Foh, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja. Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the Federal Government was committed to ensuring that the electoral process complied with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and relevant electoral laws.

She described the 2027 general elections as a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy, expressing optimism that the process would strengthen democratic governance in the country and the West African sub-region. The minister said institutional preparedness, transparent voter accreditation, effective management of election results and timely resolution of electoral disputes were important to building public confidence in the electoral system. She also stressed the need for effective coordination among security agencies to protect candidates, electoral officials, observers and voters before, during and after the elections. According to her, security personnel must perform their duties professionally and impartially while respecting the country’s human rights obligations. The minister further highlighted the importance of voter education and effective enforcement of electoral laws, noting that political parties, civil society organisations, traditional institutions and the media had important roles to play in ensuring peaceful elections. She expressed concern over the dangers of…