The Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and to the ECOWAS and two EU Member States’ Embassies – Finland and Ireland - undertook a joint Electoral Watch Mission to the Anambra State Gubernatorial Election of 6 November, from 4 to 8 November 2021.

The EU Delegation congratulates the stakeholders – Independent National Electoral Commission, the Federal and State Authorities, the security forces, the candidates and the population at large – on a successful poll. Despite hitches with the new accreditation system (the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System - BVAS) that led to delays in some cases and isolated episodes of tension, elections took place peacefully and people from Anambra went out to exercise their right to vote.

EU Diplomatic Watch Missions have become a fixture of off-cycle state gubernatorial elections. The EU Delegation watched the preparations, election, and post-election activities by the election management body and support providers.

The EU has been a major partner since the return of Nigeria to democracy in 1999, supporting the democratic process through multi-stakeholder engagement, as well as the deployment of short and long-term elections observer missions.

Abuja, 12 November 2021

Samuela Isopi

EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS