TUE AUG 11 2026-theGBJournal| The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said Monday that the European Union’s planned withdrawal from monitoring Nigeria’s 2-28 elections raises fresh concerns about the credibility and security of the vote.
”It is another confirmation of the fears of both local and international stakeholders about the weaknesses and defects that may define the forthcoming general elections,” PDP said in a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary, Interim National Working Committee, Comrade Ini Ememobong.
The EU cited “worsening insecurity and hostile treatment” following its 2023 election observation mission as the basis for this decision.
According to the PDP, this decision is historic, as it will be the first Nigerian general election since the return of democracy in 1999 in which the Union will not deploy an election observation mission.
According to the PDP’s statement: ”Since 2023, the current APC-led Federal Government has intensified efforts at ensuring that the 2027 elections are uncontested in any meaningful sense.
They have deployed different tactics, including but not limited to state-funded crises in opposition political parties, coercion and enticement of opposition Governors and National Legislators, persecution and intimidation of opposition bigwigs, and the weaponisation of inflammatory electoral rhetoric- such as the President’s declaration to “snatch it, take it and run with it” and the accompanying disposition that “all is fair in politics.”
This EU pullback is one of the many votes of no confidence by strategic stakeholders in election management under this APC-led administration. When confidence in the electoral process erodes, so does the credibility of elections and, ultimately, democracy itself.
Elections must be a true reflection of the wishes of the people, freely expressed through the ballot. Any attempt by the ruling party to impose itself on the people, despite its abysmally poor performance in governance, is not just undemocratic and unconstitutional, but must be condemned and resisted by all fair-minded people.
We will work in concert with other opposition political parties, civil society organisations and Nigerians to demand transparency, accountability and sincerity in the entire election process. This is the irreducible minimum.”
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