President Muhammadu Buhari has charged Nigerians to resist attempts by politicians to disrupt the 2023 general elections.
The President in his new year message also urged the citizens to play their part in ensuring that next year’s general elections are free, fair and credible.
“We must also resist every attempt to be used by politicians to create unrest in any form to disrupt the elections. We, as government will ensure such activities are met with the full force of the law,” the President said in a statement issued by his media aide, Garba Shehu.
“We as Nigerians must also take responsibility to ensure we participate in ensuring that the 2023 elections are free and fair by not engaging in anti-state activities and other nefarious acts that may affect the run of the polls.”
While restating his administration’s commitment to conducting free and fair elections, Buhari said, “the collective electoral will and votes of Nigerians will be fulfilled, even in the twilight moments of my watch.”
According to the Nigerian leader, his government proved its commitment to the nation’s democratic ideals by signing the Amended Electoral Act that will guarantee credible polls.
He described 2023 as an important year for Africa’s most populous nation because Nigerians will go to the polls to elect credible leaders.
“This year is particularly important to me because this message is in essence valedictory. After having the honour of serving you, my compatriots, for the last seven-plus years, my tenure as your President in the most revered tradition of our ongoing and maturing democracy must necessarily come to an end.
“In the next five months we would have gone to the polls and elected a new president along with new governors and a plethora of other elected officials at both the national and state levels,” the President added.