The European Union and Switzerland have urged Nigeria to consolidate democracy by conducting fair, credible, transparent and peaceful elections in 2027.

They made the call on Tuesday in Abuja during the signing of the National Peace Accord for political parties and candidates.

The National Peace Committee organised the ceremony for presidential, governorship and National Assembly candidates contesting the 2027 elections.

Gautier Mignot, EU ambassador to Nigeria and head of delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, was represented by Agnieszka Torres.

Torres, chargé d’affaires of the EU Delegation, stressed Nigeria’s pivotal role as Africa’s largest democracy and a regional democratic leader.

Mr Mignot reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic processes, describing peaceful transfers of power since 1999 as an important African benchmark.

“In 2023, Nigeria, once again, set an example for Africa and for the world through the peaceful transition of power,” Mr Mignot said.

He said Nigeria should take further steps towards consolidating democracy through fair, credible, transparent and peaceful elections in 2027.

“As the largest democracy in Africa, elections in Nigeria matter greatly, first and foremost for Nigerians, but also for the rest of the continent,” he said.

Mr Mignot said Nigeria had a responsibility to lead and inspire other African countries through democratic governance and political stability.

He urged political leaders and candidates to honour the Peace Accord through peaceful, issue-based campaigns without violence, hate speech or disinformation.

The ambassador also called on party leaders to serve as role models, particularly for young Nigerians, while urging institutions to remain neutral.

“All stakeholders must play their part. The integrity of the process depends on clear and collective commitment to the rules and institutions,” he said.

Mr Mignot urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to operate freely, without interference or intimidation, while demonstrating impartiality and transparency. He also called on INEC to provide a level playing field for all political contenders and urged security agencies to remain strictly neutral.

According to him, security agencies must guarantee voters’ safety and ensure that citizens can participate freely in the electoral process.

Mr Mignot reiterated that the EU had no interest in any candidate or political party, but remained interested in Nigeria’s democratic success.

Patrick Egloff, Switzerland’s ambassador to Nigeria, urged political actors to conduct issue-based campaigns, stressing that political competition must never come at the expense of peace.

“Democracy is built on differences. Parties will disagree, candidates will compete, citizens will make different choices. What matters is that these differences are expressed through ideas, policies and peaceful political debate,” Mr Egloff added.

He said Switzerland remained committed to supporting Nigeria’s efforts towards peaceful, inclusive and credible democratic processes.

“For Switzerland, supporting democracy means supporting the conditions that allow it to thrive: credible and accountable institutions,” he said.

He also highlighted meaningful citizen participation, inclusive political dialogue and peaceful mechanisms for managing differences.

Mr Egloff said Switzerland’s partnership with the committee formed part of its broader commitment to strengthening democratic governance.

(NAN)