The outgoing European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Samuela Isopi, has said that supporting Nigeria’s democracy remained the best way to respond to the aspirations of Nigerians.
Isopi, who will be leaving Nigeria after the expiration of her three years tenure on Friday, said this during her farewell visit to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on Tuesday in Abuja.
Isopi who described INEC as one of the EU’s main partners in strengthening and deepening Nigeria’s democracy, expressed confidence that the union under his successor would sustain the partnership.
“The message I passed on to my successor was that this has to remain. This needs to remain as one of our core tasks and core priorities, to support the aspiration of the Nigerian people for a deeper, more inclusive and stronger Nigerian democracy.
“We are very proud and very pleased with the partnership that we have with INEC, with all the other stakeholders and partners that are involved in a joint effort that we are undertaking together under the EU Support to Democratic Government in Nigeria (EU-SDGN),” she said.
Isopi also said that supporting democracy in Africa and West Africa now is more important than ever, given the recent backsliding witnessed in many parts of the region.
She said that the EU believed that supporting Nigeria’s democracy would have great impart on democracy in the region and the world.
“Nigeria is the largest democracy on the continent, the largest democracy in West Africa, one of the largest democracies, I would say, in the world.
“We know how important it is to continue to support Nigerians and Nigeria in its journey towards the strengthening of its democracy.
“We believe that democracy remains the best way, if not the only one, to really respond to the aspirations of our people.
“All democracies in the world, including our own face challenges. The journey is not necessarily always in one direction. We all face these challenges.
“We have an interest in working together to see how we can strengthen democracy because strengthening democracy in Europe, strengthening democracy in Nigeria means strengthening democracy worldwide.
“We know how important the example that Nigeria can give to other countries here,” she said.
Isopi commended INEC for the open and frank partnership with EU, saying she was proud of the unique model from commission for other countries to emulate.
She also commended INEC chairman saying “you have one of the toughest jobs in this country. Politics is difficult and sensitive everywhere in the world. Your job is really very, very difficult.”
Isopi urged Nigerians to continue work together to sustain the country’s democracy.
“ I think the best for Nigeria is yet to come. Nigeria has all the assets, all what is needed to get out of its challenges and to be great.
“Nigeria is a real great. It can be even stronger and greater. And we believe that the future will be a bright one for Nigeria.
“Of course, this will require continuous hard work, continuous vision, leadership, commitment, but also unity and resilience. And I think the Nigerians have shown all of that.
“So my message would be not to give up, to continue to support democracy, because if everyone plays his or her role, including voters, of course things can only get better,” Isopi said.
In his remarks, Yakubu said commended EU partnership and collaboration with INEC through the implementation of the EU-SDGN2 to INEC in strengthening Nigeria democracy.
Speaking, Yakubu said that Nigeria had the largest democracy in West Africa.
“For instance, there are 74 million registered workers in West Africa. In 2023, we have 93 million registered workers in Nigeria, which is almost 10 million more than the other 14 countries put together.
“So each time Nigerians go to the polls, it’s like conducting elections for the whole of West Africa and part of Central Africa,” Yakubu said.
He said that recently, the Electoral Commission in Ghana conducted a mup-up, an equivalent of Nigeria’s Continuous Voter Registration to register new voters in the country.
“One of the targets of the Electoral Commission in Ghana to register 70,000 new voters nationwide, but here we are, in the last Continuous Voter Registration in Edo alone.
“We registered 119,000 new voters, and the additional 50,000 in Ondo. Put together, we registered 177,000. Three times more than what our colleagues in Ghana hoped to register under their own CVR,” Yakubu said.
While assuring Isopi that INEC would sustain its good working relationships with her successor, Yakubu wish her well in her future endeavour.
