The Head of the European Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), Ambassador Ketil Karlsen has said the EU Mission delegation to Nigeria does not have the mandate to pick a president for the country in the February 16, presidential election.

Karlsen spoke during a courtesy visit to the Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State at the Government House, Yenagoa, at the weekend, saying, the EU did not have any political agenda in the country and that the body was only committed to the conduct of free and fair elections.

He said that Nigeria sent a strong message to the international community with the outcomes of the 2015 general elections that it was possible to have elections with acceptable results.

He stressed that it was in the interest of EU to support the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria as part of efforts to secure the stability, development, and creation of opportunities for its ordinary citizens.

The envoy charged Nigerians, especially the youths, to contribute to the achievement of free, fair and credible elections.

Karlsen said: “We are visiting at this important moment ahead of the presidential elections and, of course, the state elections in so many parts of Nigeria, to express to you, the governor and your team, the importance that we attach to have a free, fair and credible, peaceful and transparent elections in Nigeria.

“We are strong believers in the consolidation of democracy as the best if not the only way to continue stability and development and creation of opportunities for ordinary Nigerians.

”And that is why we reiterate again and again that for the EU and the international community at large, we are not here to select the leadership of Nigeria. That cannot be and should not be our aspiration.

“Our only desire is to see to a fair process of the election in this country because that is what is providing that legitimacy of the democratically elected government, whether at the federal or state level.”

Dickson commended the EU and its partner agencies for embarking on various projects that support development and stability in communities, disclosing that Bayelsa had been a beneficiary of such projects.

He stressed that Nigeria was faced with a defining moment in its democratic experience, even as he lauded friendly nations for their positions on critical developments in the country.

Dickson assured the EU delegation that Bayelsa was committed to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections and would not act in any way that could compromise the integrity of the electoral process.