European Union
Declaration on the Nigerian General Elections
by
Ambassador Mr Leonidas Tezapsidis
May 14, 2003
1. EU acknowledges that President Obasanjo has been announced President-elect
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on April 22, 2003 by the competent electoral
authority, and we wish to congratulate him. The President now has a clear
mandate for his second term.
2. EU welcomes the fact that the presidential, parliamentary and gubernatorial
elections in Nigeria were conducted peacefully in most parts of the country and
represented an important step for the democratic process in Nigeria, in the
context of transition from civilian to civilian administration.
3. EU takes positive note that the Nigerian government invited inter alia
EU observers to the country, in order to efficiently observe the electoral
process.
4. EU expresses concern about the serious irregularities and instances of fraud
which were observed and reported by the EU election observation mission,
resulting in a lack of credibility of the electoral process in those states
concerned.
5. EU strongly recommends that appropriate measures are taken as provided for
under the electoral law of Nigeria and welcomes the decision of all aggrieved
parties to settle their disputes peacefully and within the constitutional
framework.
6. Furthermore, EU expects that all perpetrators of political violence during
the electoral campaign will be prosecuted.
7. EU's confidence in the Nigerian authorities, now that the 2003 elections are
over, is to remain focused on the democratisation process, in order to further
improve the quality of democracy and increase accountability in Nigeria in the
coming period.
8. EU notes with satisfaction the increase in voter participation and in
particular, that women, for the first time made up a substantial proportion of
those who voted. This constitutes a clear sign of the increasing democratic
awareness in the country.
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