…Says it’s now difficult to rig election
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that his administration would not allow any form of manipulation in the conduct of the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
Buhari gave the assurance yesterday, at State House while playing host to the West African Elders Forum Pre-Election Mediation Mission, led by former Sierra Leonean President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.
According to a release by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, the President thanked the elders for accepting to do the service for the sub-region.
He cited the off-season elections held in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States, as a pointer to the fact that the Federal Government would allow people to choose the leaders they want. Buhari said: “That right is guaranteed. We are settling down, and making progress. People should vote for whoever they want, in whatever party.
“We shall not allow anyone to use money and thugs to intimidate the people. “Nigerians know better now, they are wiser, and know that it is better to dialogue than to carry weapons. Elections are even more difficult to rig now”.
Former President Koroma, who led a team made of former Vice President of The Gambia, Fatoumata Tambajang; former Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr. Mohammed ibn-Chambas, and the Executive Director of Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Ann Iyonu, said they had met with stakeholders across the parties, civil society, and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, among others, “and we commend you for making it clear both locally and internationally that the elections would be free and fair”.
Karoma commended President Buhari for not listening to voices that may have tried to convince him to seek a third term in office, against the laws of the country, noting that other countries look up to Nigeria for direction, urging the Nigerian leader to look into other areas of concern as raised by the stakeholders, including security, and issues that may cast doubts on the clarity and credibility of the elections.
He urged the Nigerian leader to look into other areas of concern as raised by the stakeholders, including security, and issues that may cast doubts on the clarity and credibility of the elections”.
