Nigeria's Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has urged the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to sustain and expand its support for Nigeria's democratic institutions as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Kalu made the appeal during a meeting in London with senior FCDO officials, led by Director General of Network, Christina Scott, on the sidelines of his engagement at Chatham House, one of Britain's most prestigious foreign policy institutions.
Drawing on the two countries' deep historical ties, Kalu said Nigeria and the UK share not only a longstanding bilateral relationship but a common commitment to constitutional democracy, accountable governance and the rule of law.
He conveyed the formal gratitude of the House of Representatives and the broader National Assembly leadership for the FCDO's continued backing of Nigeria's democratic development.
That support, he stated, has extended across electoral integrity, legislative capacity building, civic participation, conflict prevention and peacebuilding, including through institutional partners such as the Policy and Advocacy Centre (PLAC).
As Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Kalu spoke at length about Nigeria's ongoing constitutional amendment process.
He stressed that it addresses some of the country's most pressing governance questions, among them federalism, devolution of powers, local government administration, security architecture and the greater representation of women, young people and persons with disabilities.
He argued that sustained technical assistance and inclusive public consultation from partners such as the UK remain vital to producing reforms that genuinely reflect the will of Nigerians.
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On electoral reform, Kalu pointed to the recently enacted 2026 Electoral Act as a landmark piece of legislation informed by lessons from the 2023 general elections.
The law provides statutory recognition for the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the electronic transmission of election results, and introduces clearer rules around pre-election litigation to reduce the legal uncertainties that have historically clouded Nigerian polls.
Looking to 2027, Kalu was emphatic that getting the legal and institutional framework right, and doing so early is a national priority.
"Our objective is clear: elections that are peaceful, transparent, inclusive, technology-enabled and reflective of the genuine will of the Nigerian people," he said.
Beyond Nigeria's borders, the Deputy Speaker made a broader geopolitical argument for continued UK engagement.
As Africa's largest democracy and one of its biggest economies, he said, Nigeria's stability carries direct implications for regional peace, trade, migration management and counterterrorism across West Africa and the wider continent.
Continued FCDO investment in Nigeria, he maintained, is therefore an investment in the stability of ECOWAS and democratic resilience across Africa.
"A stable, inclusive and prosperous Nigeria will remain a pillar of stability for ECOWAS and an anchor for democratic resilience across Africa," Kalu said.
He further called for a deeper, more strategic relationship between the FCDO and the Nigerian National Assembly going forward.
Kalu's London visit also included engagements at Chatham House.
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