UK neutral on Nigeria’s 2027 elections, supports credible polls — Envoy

British Deputy High Commissioner in Nigeria, Gill Lever, has said the United Kingdom has no preferred candidate or political party ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

Lever made the statement during a courtesy visit to Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, at the Government House in Ilorin.

According to the envoy, the British government would not interfere in Nigeria’s internal political affairs but would continue to support peaceful, inclusive and credible elections.

She also paid a visit to Kwara State First Lady, Ambassador Okufolake AbdulRazaq, alongside her delegation.

“British government would support free, peaceful and credible election in Nigeria next year,” Lever stated.

“Downing Street has no favourite political party and will not be seen interfering in local political matters. We all want to see elections that are peaceful, that are inclusive, that are credible, with space for participation, with respect for institutions.”

She added: “The British government, as you’ll understand, is entirely neutral. We do not favour one party or another, and we would never be in the business of telling Nigerian people how to vote.

“But peaceful and credible elections, of course, are not only a democratic objective. This is not only about the Commonwealth values and the values of democracy that we’ve long shared, they’re also an economic objective or imperative as well.”

Lever praised Governor AbdulRazaq for promoting women’s participation in governance, describing Kwara State as a leading example of gender inclusion.

“Kwara, under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has become a model for gender equity,” she said.

The envoy also noted that the British government was collaborating with states across Nigeria to improve digital skills and encourage youth participation in the technology industry.

In his remarks, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said his administration had recorded major improvements in education, healthcare, agriculture and infrastructure since taking office in 2019.

“We have made significant progress in different sectors of the economy: from health, education, agriculture and road infrastructure. When we came in 2019, things just weren’t working in the state,” he said.

The governor stated that his administration inherited salary arrears, unpaid pensions, poor educational facilities and funding challenges with the Universal Basic Education Commission.

“When we came in, 99% of schools did not have WASH facilities and no fencing of schools; teachers were, in fact, owed months in salary arrears,” AbdulRazaq said.

He added that the state government had since improved access to education and healthcare, paid outstanding salaries and strengthened workers’ welfare.

“We have cleared backlog of salaries we met. In fact, we are planning to raise minimum wage again this year to N100,000,” he added.

The governor further disclosed that Kwara would have five teaching hospitals by 2027 to help tackle manpower shortages in the health sector.

Speaking on agriculture, AbdulRazaq commended the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu for encouraging farming activities and said the state’s shea processing factory in Kaiama would become the second largest in Nigeria when completed.

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