Buhari: Free, credible elections indispensable to peace, stability in W/Africa

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on leaders in West Africa to do all within their powers to ensure that elections are conducted in their countries in an atmosphere of trust, freedom, and transparency.

The President’s media aide, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement, said Buhari made the call on Tuesday, July 26, in a goodwill message to the Government and people of Liberia as he joined other world leaders on the occasion of the 175th Independence Anniversary of the West African nation.

According to the president, this is the only way the sub-region can be insulated from the scourge of unconstitutional takeovers that reared its head in three countries recently.

Buhari affirmed that democracy and good governance must take their roots on the African continent to sustain peace, stability, and development while leaders must redouble their efforts to guarantee the irreversibility of democracy.

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“I would like to use the opportunity of this event to address an important issue affecting three countries in the ECOWAS region; Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

“All the three nations have National Elections in 2023. In Nigeria, we are working towards a free, fair, transparent, credible, and acceptable outcome of elections and their results.

”It is important and necessary for all our countries to key into these resolves as they are indispensable to peace and stability in our countries and sub-region.

”The deepening of democracy and good governance are essential antidotes to check-mate unconstitutional change of governments as we sadly witnessed within the last three years in three countries within our sub-region.

”We must strengthen our efforts to guarantee the irreversibility of democracy in our sub-region and Africa,” he said.

Buhari commended his Liberian counterpart, Dr George Weah, for his demonstration of love for the country and the pursuit of peace, unity, and progress, as evidenced by people-oriented projects executed with the sole purpose of taking the country to greater heights within the limited resources available.

He, however, urged the Liberian leader to do more, assuring him of Nigeria’s continued support in this regard.

“Your Excellency’s policy of development launched in 2018 as well as the recently launched youth empowerment programmes, targeted at comprehensively addressing the problems of youth restiveness in Liberia.

”These are equally aimed at rescuing the disadvantaged youths (ZOGOS in local parlance) from drug addictions and other forms of social vices and transforming them into useful members of the Liberian society, are clearly very appropriate policies to lift up the most vulnerable.”