Following the brief initial response of the Head of European Diplomacy, Josep Borrell, to the 25 February elections in Nigeria, based on the initial remarks of the EU Election Observation Mission (see EUROPE 13132/34), the European External Action Service (EEAS) said on Tuesday 7 March: “the EU welcomes the Nigerian people’s commitment to democracy and the announcement of the results of the 25 February elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declaring Mr Bola Tinubu as president-elect”.
While the opposition is contesting the results that saw the ruling party’s candidate win, “the EU is encouraged that all presidential candidates and political parties are upholding the rule of law, by seeking to solve their differences through the established legal means”, the statement published on Tuesday said.
The EU welcomes the strong commitment of all political actors to the remainder of the electoral process and calls on voters to peacefully support the process and to go to the polls in the upcoming Governorship and State Assemblies’ elections on 11 March.
“All stakeholders, in particular INEC, are expected to do their utmost to ensure that the elections of 11 March are delivered to the required standards and the highest expectations of the Nigerian people”, the EEAS added. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)