UK Commends Osun Election, Congratulates Adeleke on Re-election

The British High Commission has commended the conduct of the Osun State governorship election and congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election.

In a statement issued on Monday, the commission said it engaged with various stakeholders ahead of the election and deployed accredited observers to monitor the poll.

According to the commission, its observers witnessed several positive developments during the election, in line with findings from credible independent observer groups that monitored the process across the state.

“Based on their observations, and consistent with the findings of credible independent observer groups with wider deployments across the state, we welcome several encouraging signs of a positive democratic process,” the statement read.

The commission said these included the opening of polling units as scheduled in many locations, the efforts of security personnel to maintain order and the effective implementation of electoral procedures by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

It particularly praised voters for their conduct throughout the election.

“Most of all, we were encouraged by the patience, resilience and participation demonstrated by voters throughout the day,” it added.

UK Identifies Challenges

Despite its positive assessment, the British High Commission said it observed reports of isolated incidents that created tension before and during the election.

Among the issues identified were alleged voter interference and vote-buying across party lines, limited access for persons with disabilities and elderly voters, as well as overcrowding at some polling locations.

The commission also cited the speed and limited availability of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices as contributing factors to overcrowding.

It urged relevant institutions to carefully examine the challenges and draw lessons that could improve public confidence, transparency and accountability in future elections.

The commission specifically referenced recommendations from civil society organisations, including the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room.

Lessons for 2027 Elections

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the British High Commission noted that off-cycle elections such as the Osun poll benefit from additional personnel and resources that could be more difficult to deploy during nationwide elections.

“As Nigeria looks ahead to the 2027 general elections, we note that off-cycle elections benefit from the availability of additional personnel and resources that may be more difficult to replicate at nationwide scale,” the statement read.

The commission expressed hope that lessons from the Osun election would contribute to improvements in the country’s electoral system.

“We nevertheless hope that the experience of the Osun election will help inform further improvements that strengthen the integrity, inclusiveness and credibility of future electoral processes,” it added.

The British High Commission reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to working with Nigeria’s electoral institutions, civil society organisations and other partners to promote peaceful, transparent, inclusive and credible elections.

It also said it would continue supporting efforts to strengthen the democratic institutions underpinning Nigeria’s electoral process.