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British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pete Vowles, has called on the country to make the 2027 general elections an opportunity to demonstrate the strength and credibility of its democratic institutions to the international community.
Vowles made the appeal during a visit to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, where he met with the commission’s leadership to discuss preparations for the next general elections.
The envoy, who said he had been in Nigeria for eight weeks, explained that the visit was intended to familiarise himself with INEC’s activities and understand the arrangements being made for the 2027 polls.
He noted that Nigeria’s democratic development carries significance beyond its borders, considering the country’s population and influence across West Africa and the African continent.
Vowles said the forthcoming elections would provide an opportunity for Nigeria to demonstrate how democratic institutions could function effectively in a country with a large population and diverse interests.
“The reason I suppose that we wanted a courtesy call is perhaps an obvious one, but just the recognition of how much Nigeria’s democracy matters to Nigeria, to 240 million Nigerians, to the region and to the world,” he said.
Explaining the purpose of his engagement with INEC, the British envoy said he wanted to appreciate the importance of Nigeria’s democracy and gain insight into the commission’s election preparations.
He added: “I would probably say that in our conversation, we talked about how the forthcoming elections are a really important opportunity for Nigeria to showcase to the world how a strong democracy in a large, diverse country should operate.”
In his response, INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, assured Vowles that the commission was working towards delivering credible and inclusive elections in 2027.
He said his administration was prioritising public confidence in the electoral process, better operational performance and the protection of votes cast by Nigerians.
Amupitan also acknowledged the United Kingdom’s contributions to Nigeria’s electoral development through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and other development partners.
He called for deeper cooperation between both countries, particularly in addressing emerging threats to election credibility.
According to the INEC chairman, areas requiring increased collaboration include strengthening cybersecurity systems, improving the technical capacity of electoral personnel and tackling the misuse of artificial intelligence to spread disinformation.
He also identified foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) as a growing concern requiring coordinated attention.
“The integrity of Nigeria’s democracy matters not only to our citizens but to the peace, stability and economic growth of the entire West African sub-region and the African continent,” Amupitan said.
He further assured the international community that the commission would discharge its responsibilities without political interference.
“We assure you and the international community that INEC remains resolutely independent, impartial and committed to delivering a 2027 general election that meets the highest global standards,” he stated.
On preparations to improve voter participation, Amupitan disclosed that INEC had introduced a nationwide campaign to encourage registered voters to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
He said the exercise was being implemented across all 774 local government areas, with the collection process decentralised to ward-level centres to make access easier for eligible voters.
The chairman also pointed to the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal (ICNP) as part of measures to protect the nomination of candidates by political parties in accordance with Section 29 of the Electoral Act 2026.
