As Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission began to announce the first very close results of the 23 February presidential and parliamentary elections, the EU called on Monday evening, 25 February, for legal channels to be respected for any challenges to these elections it observed.
These elections, initially scheduled for 16 February, "suffered delays in the opening of a number of polling stations and were marked by several violent incidents", the spokesperson of the European External Action Service recalled in a statement, expressing the EU's condolences to the families and friends of the deceased.
The EU Election Observation Mission, led by Belgian MEP Maria Arena (S&D), noted that "the elections were competitive and candidates were able to campaign freely". However, she noted a difficult environment and logistical shortcomings, and stressed the importance of improving public information by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“It would be important to address these issues before the 9 March elections”, those of the governor and state assemblies.
The EU says it expects "all the political parties and electoral stakeholders to continue to act lawfully and resolve any eventual election dispute through dialogue and available legal remedies”. The EU notes the constructive role played by civil society organisations in the electoral process. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)