Former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Chief Peter Ameh, has urged the United States to extend its planned monitoring of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections beyond election day.
He said credible election observation should begin well before Nigerians cast their ballots and continue until the entire electoral process is completed.
Ameh made the appeal in a statement issued on Wednesday while reacting to the United States’ interest in monitoring the 2027 elections.
Ameh seeks full electoral oversight
The former IPAC chairman welcomed the proposed U.S. involvement. However, he stressed that meaningful election monitoring requires sustained engagement throughout the electoral cycle.
According to Ameh, international observers should pay close attention to the pre-election environment because that is where the credibility of elections is established.
“The value of the proposed U.S. monitoring would depend on whether it translates into concrete and consistent action rather than media statements or weak diplomatic gestures.”
He noted that activities before voting day often determine whether elections are ultimately free, fair and credible.
Therefore, he urged observers to monitor developments from the early stages of the process rather than focusing solely on election day.
Raises concerns over political climate
Meanwhile, Ameh expressed concern over what he described as actions that allegedly restrict opposition political parties.
He argued that those actions have limited the ability of opposition parties to organise, campaign and freely express their views.
Ignoring such developments before the elections, he warned, could weaken public confidence in the credibility of the polls.
“The survival and deepening of Nigeria’s democratic system hinge on peaceful, free and fair elections whose outcomes genuinely reflect the will of citizens expressed through the ballot.”
In his view, transparent monitoring throughout the electoral cycle remains essential to protecting democratic accountability.
Calls for stronger international engagement
Furthermore, Ameh said Nigerians must remain at the centre of efforts to strengthen the country’s democracy.
Even so, he noted that influential international partners have an important role in promoting transparency and discouraging actions that undermine democratic norms.
He described the United States as a country with considerable global influence and the capacity to support credible elections.
Ameh also alleged that the current administration has shown little willingness to allow opposition parties to operate freely without interference.
Consequently, he urged the United States to begin sustained engagement well before the 2027 elections. He added that other international partners should adopt a similar approach.
Appeals for principled support
The former IPAC chairman called on the international community to engage political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders throughout the electoral process.
He also urged foreign partners to raise concerns whenever democratic standards come under threat.
According to Ameh, developments before the elections will shape the credibility of the final outcome. For that reason, he said the pre-election period deserves the same level of attention as election day.
Credible elections in Nigeria, he added, are not only important to Nigerians but also to democratic stability across Africa.
“The United States should move beyond declarations and commit to a robust, sustained and principled engagement that prioritises the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process from the pre-election period through to the conclusion of the polls.”
He concluded that continuous engagement before, during and after the elections would strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
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