EU clarifies position on 2027 polls

Reports circulating that the European Union delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS rejected an invitation to observe the upcoming 2027 general elections have been dismissed as inaccurate.

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The EU delegation confirms that it received a formal invitation (not a request) from the INEC, dated April 17, 2026, to deploy observers for the 2027 general elections.

In a statement, EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, clarified the delegation's position, stating that the EU had not declined the invitation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Instead, the EU informed the electoral body of its decision to deploy an Electoral Expert Mission (EEM) for the polls.

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In its response dated July 28, 2026, this delegation thanked INEC for its kind invitation and informed that the EU will field an Electoral Expert Mission, EEM, composed of two to four independent experts, who will formally be accredited as observers with INEC.

The clarification addresses media reports alleging that the EU declined the invitation due to security challenges and concerns arising from its observations of the 2023 general election. Mignot detailed that the EU received a formal invitation from INEC on April 17, 2026, and responded on July 28, 2026. The response thanked INEC for the invitation and notified them of the plan to field an EEM composed of two to four independent experts.

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An EEM, like an Electoral Observation Mission, assesses whether the electoral process is conducted in line with international, regional and national obligations and commitments on the conduct of democratic elections to which the country has subscribed.

These experts will be formally accredited by INEC and tasked with assessing whether the electoral process complies with international, regional, and national commitments on democratic elections. The mission will produce a final report with recommendations for improving Nigeria's electoral framework and future processes. Mignot stressed that any claims suggesting the EU declined due to security or hostile treatment following its 2023 election report were "pure speculations" and did not appear in the EU's official correspondence.

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The EEM submits a final report with recommendations on how to improve the electoral framework and future electoral processes, the report will be shared with the government, and if they agree, it can also be released to the wider public.