EU Refutes Report of Snubbing 2027 Nigeria Elections, Confirms Electoral Expert Mission By Raymond Enoch
The European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS has dismissed as inaccurate reports claiming that it had declined an invitation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to observe Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The EU Delegation, in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, described the reports as misleading and said it had, in fact, accepted INEC’s invitation and decided to deploy an Electoral Expert Mission (EEM) for the elections.
The clarification followed media reports alleging that the EU had written to INEC declining to observe the 2027 polls, purportedly citing the worsening security situation in the country and alleged hostile treatment of its observers and officials following the publication of its final report on the 2023 general election.
But the EU Delegation said the claims were speculative and did not reflect the contents of its correspondence with INEC.
According to the Delegation, INEC formally invited the EU to deploy observers for the 2027 General Elections in a letter dated 17 April 2026, while the EU responded on 28 July 2026, thanking the electoral commission for the invitation and informing it of the decision to field an Electoral Expert Mission comprising between two and four independent experts.
The experts, it said, would be formally accredited as observers by INEC.
The Delegation explained that an Electoral Expert Mission, like an Electoral Observation Mission, assesses whether an electoral process is conducted in accordance with international, regional and national obligations and commitments relating to democratic elections.
It added that the mission would submit a final report containing recommendations on how to improve Nigeria’s electoral framework and future electoral processes.
The report, according to the EU, would be shared with the Nigerian government and could also be released to the wider public if the government agrees.
The EU Delegation specifically rejected the suggestion that security concerns or alleged hostility towards its personnel were responsible for the type of mission selected for Nigeria.
“The two alleged reasons mentioned in the press reports do not appear in the letter: these are pure speculations,” the Delegation said.
It explained that the European Union takes decisions annually on electoral missions to partner countries that invite it, with the nature of each mission determined by the circumstances of the individual country and available resources.
“It is on this basis that the decision to conduct an EEM in Nigeria has been taken,” the EU said, adding that the implementation of the mission would be further discussed with relevant Nigerian authorities.
The Delegation also stressed that the decision to deploy an Electoral Expert Mission would not affect the continuation of the EU-funded Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria project, including its support for the country’s electoral process.
The EU’s clarification comes amid growing attention to preparations for the 2027 general elections and the role of international partners in supporting Nigeria’s democratic and electoral processes.
The Delegation urged media organisations to verify reports concerning EU positions or statements directly with its press and communication office before publication.
