Catriona Laing, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria who is leaving, says that she has enjoyed her time there and found the politics of the country fascinating.
Laing also praised the Nigerian legislature for passing a number of remarkable laws, particularly the Electoral Act 2023.
During her Tuesday visit, the envoy met with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan.
After meeting with the Senate President, Laing answered questions from journalists and stated that, despite disagreements over the presidential election on February 25, the process was fascinating and pointed to a bright future for Nigeria.
The British ambassador stated, “I made very good friends; I’m a huge fan of Nigerian music; The local culture is so diverse. Second, Nigerian politics are so fascinating.
“I was here until the last election, and I finished with this one, and I’m impressed with Nigeria’s journey toward democracy.”
“Yes, there have been a few setbacks, but overall, I see this as positive, and Nigeria should be proud of itself, but there was a remarkable change when I arrived in 2019.”
Laing reiterated that “the world watches your progress to democracy,” pointing out that “Nigeria is the biggest democracy in Africa.”
She went on to say, “Though there were some disappointments in the last election, overall, every Nigerian should be proud because Nigeria has been on the right track since 1999 in terms of participatory democracy.”
The transition to a three- or even four-party system makes this election very different and fascinating. I think Nigerians should also know that their votes matter.