President Muhammadu Buhari has described Nigeria’s democracy as maturing, expressing satisfaction with the conduct of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, which he noted has left lessons to be learnt to better subsequent polls.
The President stated this on Friday while addressing his colleagues at the Commonwealth Leaders’ Summit as part of the major events leading to the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III as King of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Commonwealth.
According to a statement issued by the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President told the summit that the elections saw a remarkable turnout of voters, and in spite of some pockets of violence, the people demonstrated that a government can be elected peacefully and fairly.
President Buhari further highlighted the key role Nigerian youths played during the elections as well as in support of national development.
He attributed a great part of this youth participation in the General Elections to the assent of the ‘Not Too Young To Run’ Bill signed into law by his administration in 2018.
The Nigerian leader also said the country would host the Commonwealth Youth and Students Summit for African Region, with the theme, ‘Making Change Happen’ in Abuja from May 9-11, this year.