Ahead of Saturday’s polls, the head of the African Union Observer Mission and former President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta has called on Nigerians to remain faithful to democracy by ensuring the conducts of the general elections are free, fair and credible. Kenyatta who gave the charge during his visit to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, on Tuesday in Abuja, said Nigeria is a country where the world and Africa is watching and hoping that the outcome of the elections will bring all parties together to build a better Nigeria.
“We are here as you have correctly stated, to work together with you, we are here as members of the African Union observer team for the upcoming presidential and Senate as well as National Assembly elections. We are here as members and brothers and sisters. “From the African continent to affirm Nigeria, Nigeria’s commitment as the largest democracy on the African continent and your commitment to democracy to the rule of law and to active democratic practices that allow the people at intervening periods to be able to elect for themselves the leaders of their choice. I wonder the very onset.
“Just to say one thing which I have noted, in particular, and that is president Buhari is personal commitment towards in. During a free, fair and transparent election, this is something he has been talking about at various intervals, many not actually thinking he would actually see it through. But we are here today and seeing that he has lived true to his word. “We are here to see that those words turn into reality in the next few days. We are here to work together with our brothers and sisters of Nigeria, as they exercise that fundamental right, which is the democratic right to choose freely, the leaders without hindrance, and without in conferences. There are many challenges and we all know that.
“And those challenges are not peculiar to Nigeria. There are challenges that for one reason or another affect various parts of the world and not just Africa you’ve seen similar challenges in the UK The size of people’s democratic rights be experienced even in established democracies like The United States. So we must recognize that there will be challenges. “But at the end of the day, what we want is that the eventual outcome of these elections reflects the will, of the people of this great country of Nigeria. We are here to work together with the Independent Electoral Commission.
“We are here to see how we can be of assistance. We are here. To ensure that the processes are clear and aboveboard. We are here to encourage our brothers and sisters in Nigeria, to remember that elections are just part of a process. Because democracy is built over years, you will have an election now you will have another one. The head of the delegation stated that elections are not the beginning and the end and this is the reason the AU Observer Mission are in Nigeria to encourage that people accept the results of the elections and are able to move on and build a greater and better, Nigeria together.
According to Kenyatta, people should be able to come together after the election and continue working for the betterment of the people of Nigeria, greatness of the nation, and greatness of our African continent. “We are looking forward to working with all candidates. We are looking forward to working with the Electoral Commission. We are looking forward to working with Nigerians to ensure that there will remain supreme and to ensure that the voice of Nigeria and I repeat again, the largest democracy on the African continent will send a signal to the rest of the continent and the world of Africa’s commitment to democracy and Africa’s commitment to respecting the free will of people to elect leaders of their choice.
“So as is to wish that we are able to continue this process work together to really appeal to every single citizen that let this be a piece thought process and for people to understand that there is life after an election Should I stand before you as a two term press Didn’t Who is very happy in his retirement and who looks forward to working with a man I consider not my elder brother, but my father once his term comes to an end, as we continue to work together.
In his opening remarks, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, thank the former president for his fatherly support. He said, “I wish at the very outset on behalf of the President and the people of Nigeria, and I would indeed say, the people of Africa to extend our deepest appreciation, and congratulations to you on the phenomenal role you play as president of Kenya, not just for your achievements in Kenya, taking the country from a very precarious position.
