PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Abuja declared that recent gubernatorial elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states have confirmed his administration’s commitment to credible and violence-free polls in the country.
Buhari spoke when he received a delegation from Nasarawa State, led by the State Governor Abdullahi Sule.
The President urged the electorate to vote the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general elections to ensure continuity in the polity, and stability in the country and West African region.
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He added that the Electoral Act, signed by him earlier this year, was an attestation of the fulfilment of his administration’s determination and commitment to the tenets of the rule of law.
He said: ‘‘On the issues of credible, free and fair elections in the country, I have always re-assured my listeners both at home and abroad, my personal desire and indeed the priority of this administration is to bequeath to our nation an irreversible political process that continues to be both democratic and acceptable to the people.
‘‘My desire for our nation is that the 2023 elections should clearly mark the commencement of the institutional strength of our electoral body in conducting acceptable, credible and violence-free elections.
‘‘The forthcoming general elections will provide us with the opportunity to convince the electorate on the need for continuity to enable our party to consolidate on our achievements in the last seven years.”
Buhari added that Nasarawa, just like every other state, has a significant role to play in ensuring APC retain power in 2023.
‘‘The Government and people of Nasarawa State, as usual, have a great role to play in returning our party to governance in the 2023 elections, in order to create a path for greater socio- economic growth and development. This is not only important for Nigeria alone but also for the West African Sub-Region.
‘‘I am optimistic that the people of the State, the APC Government and this broad representation of your delegation will not disappoint me, as we sustain concerted efforts in pushing forward the frontiers of good governance in our country.’’
Buhari also used the occasion to stress the need for collaboration among the three tiers of government in order to deliver good governance, infrastructure and critical services needed by the people.
He also pledged his commitment to the joint-efforts by the states and the Federal Government to facilitate easy transportation by road, railways and airports as well as power, saying no nation can develop without these components of infrastructure.
In this reaction, Nasarawa State governor Sule told the President that the delegation comprising political office holders, royal fathers and community leaders was in the Presidential Villa to show appreciation for the numerous projects executed by the Buhari Administration “which the state is among the great beneficiaries”
He also thanked Buhari for approving the Federal Government takeover of the Lafia airport, refunds for the completion of the Lafia-Keffi road, ongoing construction of Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi dual carriage road, and appointment of prominent sons and daughters of the state into different positions in the Federal Government.
He also congratulated the President for providing leadership and creating the enabling environment that facilitated the conduct of free, fair and credible primary elections, which resulted in the emergence of Bola Tinubu as the presidential candidate of the APC, as well as the recent governorship election in Osun State.
'Niyi worked with The ICIR as an Investigative Reporter and Fact-checker from 2020 till September 2022. You can shoot him an email via niyioyedeji1@gmail.com. You can as well follow him on Twitter via @niyi_oyedeji.