EU Denies Rejecting INEC Invitation, Confirms Electoral Expert Mission for 2027 Polls
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS has dismissed reports that it rejected an invitation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to observe Nigeria’s 2027 general election, describing the reports as inaccurate and speculative.
The EU, in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, said it had received a formal invitation from INEC dated April 17, 2026, to deploy observers for the 2027 elections.
Contrary to reports that the EU had declined the invitation citing worsening insecurity and alleged hostile treatment of its observers and officials following the publication of its final report on the 2023 general election, the delegation said it had accepted the invitation and would deploy an Electoral Expert Mission (EEM).
It said the response to INEC, dated July 28, 2026, thanked the electoral commission for the invitation and informed it that the EU would field an EEM comprising between two and four independent experts, who would be formally accredited as observers by INEC.
The delegation stressed that the two reasons attributed to the EU in the reports did not appear in its letter to INEC.
“The two alleged reasons mentioned in the press reports do not appear in the letter: these are pure speculations,” the EU said.
According to the delegation, an EEM, like an Electoral Observation Mission, assesses whether an electoral process is conducted in line with international, regional and national obligations and commitments on democratic elections to which the country has subscribed.
The mission will also submit a final report containing recommendations on improving Nigeria’s electoral framework and future electoral processes.
The EU said the report would be shared with the Nigerian government and could subsequently be made available to the wider public if the government agreed.
Explaining its decision to deploy an expert mission rather than a larger electoral observation mission, the delegation said the EU makes decisions annually on electoral missions to partner countries that invite it, with the type of mission determined by the circumstances of each country and the resources available.
“It is on this basis that the decision to conduct an EEM in Nigeria has been taken and will be further consulted with the relevant Nigerian authorities for its implementation,” it stated.
The clarification comes amid growing preparations for the 2027 general election and heightened public interest in the role international partners will play in monitoring Nigeria’s electoral process.
The EU also rejected any suggestion that its decision to deploy an EEM represented a withdrawal of support for democratic governance or Nigeria’s electoral process.
It said the decision “does not affect in any way” the continued implementation of its EU-funded Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria project, including its support for the electoral process.
The delegation further urged members of the media to verify reports concerning the EU’s positions and statements directly with its press and communication office before publication.
“The EU Delegation respectfully reminds members of the esteemed media community that, to avoid issuing such misleading information about positions or statements of the EU, they can simply check their accuracy with the press and communication office of the EU Delegation,” it said.
The statement, which was signed by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, effectively puts to rest reports that the EU had turned down INEC’s invitation to participate in the 2027 electoral process, while confirming that the bloc intends to maintain an independent expert presence during the elections.