President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his satisfaction with the progress of Nigeria’s democracy.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the Nigerian leader hailed the successful conduct of the 2023 general elections as a positive sign for future polls.
Speaking at the Commonwealth Leaders’ Summit in preparation for the coronation of King Charles III as the new leader of the Commonwealth and King of the United Kingdom, President Buhari praised the remarkable voter turnout and peaceful electoral process.
Despite isolated incidents of violence, the President pointed out that the conduct of the elections demonstrated that a government can be elected peacefully and fairly. In addition, he acknowledged the key role played by Nigerian youths during the elections and in support of national development.
He said, “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 learnt and moving forward, we hope to perform even better. Based on this, I am delighted to note that we have taken another step towards deepening our democracy with peaceful, transparent and credible outcomes.
“Though we are aware that challenges still exist, we are committed to working towards a greater participation of all Nigerians in the democratic process, including those in the diaspora.”
President Buhari attributed the youth participation in the elections to the enactment of the ‘Not Too Young To Run’ Bill in 2018, which allowed young people to contest for elective positions. He also revealed that Nigeria would host the Commonwealth Youth and Students Summit for the African Region in Abuja from May 9-11, with the theme ‘Making Change Happen’.
According to a statement issued by the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, President Buhari’s address at the summit highlighted Nigeria’s commitment to the Commonwealth and its determination to foster stronger partnerships across the Commonwealth community.
