President Muhammadu Buhari said that he lives daily with sadness and worry for all the victims and prisoners of terrorism and kidnapping.
This is as the president has promised Nigerians a free, peaceful and transparent electoral process in the 2023 general election.
These disclosures are contained in President Buhari’s statement during a nationwide address as part of activities to mark this year’s democracy day on Sunday in Abuja.
Buhari in his address, made an appeal to Nigerians to be prayerful over insecurity, adding that the government is working hard to contain and address security challenges in the country.
What the President is saying about insecurity
Buhari in his speech said, “To achieve this, however, we must all contribute. It is not the job of the government alone. I ask all citizens to support and cooperate with our security agencies by reporting any suspicious characters and activities to law enforcement agencies. We can only have a safe country if we are able to prevent crime not after the crime has been committed.
“On this special day, I want us all to put all victims of terrorist activities in our thoughts and prayers. I am living daily with the grief and worry for all those victims and prisoners of terrorism and kidnapping. I and the security agencies are doing all we can to free those unfortunate countrymen and countrywomen safely.
“For those who have lost their lives, we will continue to seek justice for their families against the perpetrators. For those currently in captivity, we will not stop until they are freed, and their kidnappers are brought to justice. If we all unite, we will be victorious against these agents of terror and destruction.”
He noted that the Federal Government has reformed some of the country’s security structures, procured and deployed some defence assets, upgrading the country’s cyber security and surveillance systems as well as recruiting and training new personnel across all Nigeria’s security and intelligence agencies to strengthen the country’s over-all security.”
Assures of free, fair and credible election
President Buhari said that ensuring a free, fair and transparent electoral process in 2023 general elections would be a way to honour the memory of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, the late MKO Abiola.
- The President called on political parties, candidates and the electorate not to regard the elections as a do-or-die affair, adding that democracy is about the will of the majority and therefore, “there must be winners and losers.”
- He said, “Fellow Nigerians, this is my last Democracy Day speech as your President. By June 12, 2023, exactly one year from today, you will already have a new President. I remain committed and determined to ensure that the new President is elected through a peaceful and transparent process.
- “It is important for all of us to remember that June 12, 2023 will be exactly 30 years from the 1993 Presidential elections. In honour and memory of one of our national heroes of democracy, Chief M.K.O Abiola, GCFR, we must all work together to ensure this transition is done in a peaceful manner. I am hopeful that we can achieve this.
- “The signs so far are positive. Recently, all registered political parties conducted primaries to select their candidates for the 2023 general elections. These primaries were peaceful and orderly. Those who won were magnanimous in their victories. Those who lost were gracious in defeat. And those aggrieved opted to seek judicial justice as opposed to jungle justice.
- “I followed the party primaries closely from the state level to the presidential level. I was very impressed to see across all the political parties that most candidates ran issue-based campaigns. The language and tone throughout were on the whole measured and controlled.
- “I am promising you a free, fair and transparent electoral process. And I am pleading with all citizens to come together and work with government to build a peaceful and prosperous nation.”
- He said his government, in the last seven years, had made “significant investments to reform and enhance our electoral laws, systems, and processes to safeguard votes.”