Nigeria's Speaker Assures Free Elections in 2027

On Thursday, Hon Abbas Tajudeen, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, pledged the Federal Government's commitment to ensuring free, fair, and credible general elections in 2027. This assurance was made during an interactive session with a delegation from the International Republican Institute (IRI) in Abuja, where Tajudeen was represented by Majority Leader Hon Julius Ihonvbere.

He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its role in the recent Osun State governorship election, which was won by opposition candidate Governor Ademola Adeleke. Tajudeen acknowledged the reported pre-election violence as painful but expressed optimism that such incidents would not recur before the 2027 elections.

He emphasized ongoing electoral reforms and the need to democratize the political space, particularly regarding women's representation, noting only 15 women in the House of Representatives and four in the Senate. Tajudeen also mentioned improvements in security compared to three years ago as a crucial consideration for the upcoming elections.