The United States (US) Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, and the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, have expressed confidence in the electoral process, noting that voting was peaceful and orderly in some of the polling units visited in Abuja yesterday.
Leonard made the remarks in an interview with newsmen when she visited the Tudun-Wada Secondary School polling units in Zone-4 Abuja, which has three polling units where the polls opened pretty on time, where there was a large turnout of voters.
She said further that the US would comment after the elections, adding that the world is watching the Nigerian elections because of their importance.
Also speaking to newsmen, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Laing, said she has so far witnessed a pretty orderly and secure process, adding that many people seemed pretty happy with how the elections were being conducted.
Regarding vote-buying, the British envoy noted no incidents of vote-buying in the polling units her team visited. She, therefore, urged Nigerians to vote for anyone they wanted without being intimidated.
Also reacting to the ongoing elections, President of the International Republican Institute (IRI), Daniel Twining, said although his organisation has covered elections in Nigeria since 1999, the 2023 elections appear pretty different because of the unpredictable nature.
Similarly, the EU Observer Mission to the 2023 general election has acknowledged the large turnout of voters in some polling units in Abuja. The EU Chief Observer, Barry Andrews, while speaking, said the Election Day marks an important milestone in the democratic life of a country.
He added that the EU Mission is dedicated to non-interference in the political process to complete independence and impartiality, adding that this has served the mission well and deepened people’s trust in this mission.
