President Muhammadu Buhari on , Friday in Abuja said next year’s elections would give the All Progressives Congress the opportunity to consolidate its achievements of the past seven years.
This was as he declared that his personal desire and priority of his regime was to bequeath an irreversible political process that would continue to be both democratic and acceptable to Nigerians.
According to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said this when he received a delegation from Nasarawa State led by its governor, Abdullahi Sule.
The statement is titled, ‘President Buhari: Elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun, proof of my irreversible commitment to credible polls.’
The President noted that the off-season elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states had confirmed his regime’s irreversible commitment to credible and violence-free polls in the country.
He told the high-powered delegation that the Electoral Act, signed by him earlier this year, was an attestation of the fulfilment of the administration’s determination and commitment to the tenets of the rule of law.
“On the issues of credible, free and fair elections in the country, I have always reassured my listeners both at home and abroad that 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 of the need for continuity to enable our party to consolidate our achievements in the last seven years.
“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,” he said.
Describing Nasarawa as “very dear to his heart”, President Buhari said the state remained the symbol of hope and determination in collective efforts to entrench democracy in Nigeria.
He said, “To demonstrate this admiration and appreciation to the people of Nasarawa State, I personally attended the inauguration of Governor Tanko Al- Makura on May 29, 2011. In 2015 and 2019, the state remained one of the strongholds of our great party, the APC.
‘‘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.’