The British government has stated that it has no preferred candidate or political party ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, reaffirming its commitment to supporting only free, peaceful, and credible democratic processes in the country.
This position was made known by the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Lever, during a courtesy visit to AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the Government House in Ilorin.
Lever, who also visited the Kwara State First Lady, Okufolake AbdulRazaq, said the United Kingdom would not interfere in Nigeria’s political affairs or attempt to influence voters ahead of the polls.
According to her, the British government’s primary interest is to see elections conducted in a peaceful, inclusive, and transparent manner that respects democratic institutions and encourages citizen participation.
She stressed that the UK remained neutral in Nigeria’s political process and would never dictate to Nigerians how they should vote.
Lever added that credible elections are not only important for democratic governance but are also essential for economic stability and investor confidence.
The envoy further commended Governor AbdulRazaq’s administration for promoting gender inclusion and women’s participation in governance in Kwara State.
She described Kwara as a leading example of gender equity under the governor’s leadership, noting that the state had made significant strides in advancing women’s representation in political and public life.
Lever also disclosed that the British government was collaborating with several Nigerian states to improve digital skills among young people and support talent development in the technology sector.
Responding, Governor AbdulRazaq said his administration had transformed several sectors of the state’s economy since assuming office in 2019.
According to him, the government inherited challenges including unpaid pensions, salary arrears, poor school infrastructure, and blacklisting by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
The governor said his administration had since improved access to education and healthcare, cleared outstanding salary obligations, and ensured prompt payment of workers’ wages.
He added that the state government was considering increasing the minimum wage to ₦100,000 later this year as part of efforts to improve workers’ welfare.
AbdulRazaq further stated that investments in education and healthcare had yielded positive outcomes, including the expansion of university education through the completion of two campuses of Kwara State University in the northern and southern parts of the state.
He also revealed plans to establish five teaching hospitals in Kwara before the end of his administration in 2027 to address manpower shortages in the health sector.
On agriculture, the governor said the administration of Bola Tinubu was encouraging increased farming activities nationwide.
He added that Kwara State had established a Shea processing factory in Kaiama, which he said would become the second-largest facility of its kind in Nigeria once operational.
