By Damola Emmanuel
President Muhammadu Buhari, Saturday, gave his last independence anniversary broadcast as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, promising that the 2023 general elections would be one of the fairest and cleanest in the annals of electioneering process in the country.
Specifically, the President promised to bequeath a system of good governance anchored on electing credible leaders on the basis of free, fair, credible and transparent elections.
Recalling how his experience as a victim of warped electoral processes before he finally succeeded inbreaking the jinx in 2015, the President thumbed his chest for giving Nigeria the Electoral Act which, he underscored, has helped Nigeria to move from the era of electoral malpractices to the current state that guarantees a more transparent and inclusive electoral process.
“Having witnessed at close quarters, the pains, anguish and disappointment of being a victim of an unfair electoral process,” Buhari recounted, “the pursuit of an electoral system and processes that guarantee election of leaders by citizens remains the guiding light as I prepare to wind down our administration.”
He enthused that the recent elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States respectively, and some federal constituencies, showed “a high degree of credibility, transparency and freedom of choice with the people’s votes actually counting,” and promised to improve on them as Nigeria marches towards the 2023 general elections.
He, however, reiterated his earlier appeal to all political actors, especially those aspiring to positions in the coming dispensation to conduct issues-based campaigns devoid of hate speeches as well as other negative and divisive tendencies.
Equally important, President Buhari expressed pleasure in the enthusiasm currently displayed by the women and youth demographics in the ongoing electoral process, but wished to see more of them participating.
“I also want to express my wish that we see more female and youth participation in the forthcoming electoral cycle,” Buhari said. I am sure that our teeming and energetic youths now realise that violence generally mar elections and so should desist from being used by politicians for this purpose.”