2019: Buhari promises credible, fair polls

Ahead of 2019 general elections, President Muhammadu Buhari has promised a level playing ground for all contestants seeking political offices.

The president made this known while receiving a delegation from International Republican Institute, the United States of America at the state House, Abuja, on Monday.

The president said “I am glad you are here to assess our pre-election preparations. It reminds me of the visit by the then Secretary of State, John Kerry, before the 2015 polls. We appreciate the concern of America for stability in developing countries.

“Having run for president three times, ending up at the Supreme Court all three times, before God and technology made a way for me the fourth time, I know what it is to be cheated at the polls.

“What they used to do was just to award votes, and tell anyone who was dissatisfied to go to court. But we won’t do that. I am prepared to give the opposition the opportunities I was not given in the past.”

The president assured the visitors that he had told the heads of the security agencies not to be partisan, but to do their work professionally, and allow the will of the people to prevail.

The president also affirmed that the ruling party would keep faith with its priorities of securing the country, reviving the economy, and fighting corruption, the President said he was happy that the opposition has not been able to successfully fault the focal areas of the government.

“We have done fairly well in the areas we focussed on. We know how many local government areas in the North-east were under Boko Haram occupation before we came.

“That does not happen again, save for cowardly attacks, using young girls as suicide bombers. Other areas of security challenge like farmers/herdsmen clashes are receiving attention, and would be sorted out as much as possible.”

President Buhari speaking on why the electoral bill was not assented to, cited time frame as to why it was not assented to. “Time is against us. We are extremely vulnerable and need to be careful that messages are not hijacked and figures tampered with while being transmitted electronically.

“Even the Russians were accused of tampering with American election, so we will remain conventional, and use electronic transmission in subsequent elections.”