President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has no reason not to conduct free, fair and credible elections in 2023 as he has approved all that was requested by the electoral umpire.
The president made this disclosure during an interactive session entitled, “A conversation with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria,’’ co-hosted by the United State Institute of Peace (USIP), the International Republican Institute, the National Endowment for Democracy, and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.
He asserted his confidence in INEC’s readiness for the 2023 elections.
“INEC is ready because I made sure they were given all the resources they asked for because I don’t want any excuses that they were denied funds by the government,” Buhari said while responding to a question on the preparedness of the Commission.
‘‘Since 2015, the conduct of our elections continues to steadily improve. From the 2019 general elections, the by-elections and the off-season elections in Edo, Ekiti, Anambra and Osun States were conducted in largely improved contexts to the satisfaction of contestants and voters.
‘‘That is what we hope for in 2023. Through the observatory roles of the International Community, the credibility of the elections can be further enhanced to make the acceptability of the outcome to the contestants and political parties a non-issue.’’
Meanwhile, the president on Friday in Washington D.C said Nigeria’s agricultural revolution has led to the creation of over 13 million direct and indirect jobs in the last seven and half years.
The Nigerian leader advised western nations not to be in a rush to eliminate the usage of fossil fuels in a bid to ensure a healthy climate.
Furthermore, he stated that Nigeria’s economy has registered positive growth in the last two quarters despite the gloomy outlook in the global economy, and the war in Ukraine.
President Buhari also cautioned western nations on the frivolous issuance of travel advisories on Nigeria, urging the international media to be more objective in its reportage of the country.
