Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL5966):
Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool:
To ask His Majesty’s Government what discussion they have had with the government of Nigeria regarding reports of interference, including intimidation, violence and bribery, in the Nigerian general election held on 25 February; and what assessment they have made of the implications of any interference on security, human rights and national cohesion in that country. (HL5966)
Tabled on: 28 February 2023
Answer:
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park:
The Minister for Africa [Minister Mitchell] advocated for the delivery of free and safe elections when he met with Nigerian presidential candidates and the chairperson of the Nigerian electoral commission. Since 2019, we have provided over £5 million to Nigerian civil society organisations to improve electoral education and build citizens’ capacity to hold individuals, parties and institutions to account.
We note the position of opposition parties on the outcome and the concerns expressed by civil society about the election process. The British High Commission in Nigeria has engaged with political parties to encourage those who wish to challenge the process to do so peacefully and through the appropriate legal channel. We encourage the Nigerian authorities to examine all concerns and take action to resolve outstanding issues.
Date and time of answer: 13 Mar 2023 at 14:51.
