The British government says it is monitoring the electoral processes in the November 11 governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states with keen interest.
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery made this known in Abuja when he paid a courtesy visit on the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
Speaking during the visit, Montgomery said his country has a keen interest in the November 11 governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.
“Of topical concern are the off-season elections in the three states. We are watching closely to see how the process will be carried on.
“We’ve discussed a number of the legal issues present in the political domain at federal and state level. And it’s important for us as a diplomatic mission to understand how those processes are playing out.
”And we are very admiring of the way that Nigeria is using the courts to settle disputes of elections at every level when they occur. And we appreciate that process,” he said.
He also described the APC as a national party “helping to shape the politics of Nigeria”, adding that the legal issues regarding elections in Nigeria including reclaiming of mandates at the courts were part of the democratic process.
Ganduje thanked the British Government for its sustained interest in Nigeria adding that as a former colony of the British, Nigeria has a lot to learn in terms of management of the democratic process.
He assured that the APC would do all within its powers to sustain the tenets of democracy in the country.
He said democracy is about good governance, stressing that the APC represents a strong democratic institution that is the hope for all Nigerians.
