President Muhammadu Buhari has again expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the 2023 general election in Nigeria considering the turnout of voters and the generally peaceful atmosphere under which it took place.
The President added that the country learned lessons that would make subsequent polls even better.
The President said this on Friday in London while addressing his colleagues at the Commonwealth Leaders Summit as part of the major events leading to the coronation of His Majesty, Charles III as King of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Commonwealth.
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The theme of the event focused on the future of the Commonwealth as a body and the role of the Youth.
According to the President, “These elections saw a remarkable turnout of voters and proof that Nigeria’s democracy is maturing. Despite some pockets of violence, we have demonstrated that a government can be elected peacefully and fairly.
“Lessons have been learned and moving forward, we hope to perform even better. Based on this, I am delighted to note that we have taken another step toward deepening our democracy with peaceful, transparent, and credible outcomes. Though we are aware that challenges still exist, we are committed to working towards greater participation of all Nigerians in the democratic process, including those in the diaspora.”
While thanking the Commonwealth for sending a team to observe the conduct of the elections, he noted that the polls were generally free and fair, and the mood of the country after the announcement of the winners so far shows that democracy in Nigeria is maturing and can only get better.
President Buhari highlighted the key role Nigerian youths played during the elections as well as in support of national development, attributing a great part of this youth participation in the general elections to the assent of the “Not Too Young To Run” Bill signed into law by his Administration in 2018.
He announced that Nigeria would also host the Commonwealth Youth and Students Summit for African Region, with the theme, ‘Making Change Happen’ in Abuja from May 9-11, this year.
The Nigerian leader in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina used the opportunity to bid farewell to his colleagues, expressing joy at shared aspirations and values within the period:
“As I come before you today, I am also mindful that this would be my last official engagement with His Majesty, The King, and some of you as I leave office on 29 May 2023. I, therefore, feel both humble and grateful for this extraordinary and significantly important moment.
“Over the years, I have worked cordially with the leaders of the Commonwealth to achieve the values and principles of the Commonwealth which are shared by its members – the aspirations of the Commonwealth family which include positioning it to be a strong and respected voice in the world and improving the lives of all its citizens are being vigorously pursued,” he said.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
