From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
British government has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) that United Kingdom (UK) has no preferred presidential candidate among those contesting for the position in next year’s election.
High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, made the clarification when she led a delegation on a visit to the Abdullahi Adamu-led APC national leadership at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
She further hinged the visit as part of the series of consultations the British government is holding with various critical stakeholders, especially the political parties, ahead of next year’s crucial presidential election.
Speaking on the sidelines after the meeting held behind closed doors, she revealed that the discussions centred on the security for the elections, the possibility of providing the environment for the electorate to exercise their franchise without molestation and intimidation and efforts to ensure a credible poll.
She says: “this is one of the series of meetings I am having with political parties, the presidential candidates and the party chairmen. Today is the turn of the APC chairman to pass on our message about the general election.”
While explaining further the purpose of the visit, Laing said: “We discussed kind of general messages about the 2023 elections. We welcome Nigeria’s commitment to democracy. We welcome the President’s to credible and secured election.
“We also talked a little detail about the conditions necessary for this elections to happen. We talked about the concerns over security, people turning out on that day and to vote without intimidation.
“We also discussed about voting in a secured environment that will enable the electorate vote for the candidates they want,” she explained.
The High Commissioner took time to state the position of the British government on the forthcoming presidential election, emphasising: “UK has no interest on any candidate and all we want is credible elections and we will work with whichever presidential candidate who emerges at last.
“UK and Nigeria have very strong relationship and we want Nigeria to succeed and democracy as part of it and that is success,” she noted.
