President Muhammadu Buhari has said that one of the legacies he wants to leave behind is free, fair, transparent elections and smooth transitions.
Buhari who said this on Monday, November 28, at the opening session of the 2022 second ordinary session of the ECOWAS parliament in Abuja, also added that Nigeria is committed to peace and political stability in the sub-region.
He also promised that Nigeria will support efforts that will lead to the restoration of democratic governance in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso.
Buhari was quoted saying in the statement released by his media aide, Femi Adesina;
“We are convinced that the sustenance of democracy and the rule of law should remain the norm in this promising region.
“There will be multiple political activities in some ECOWAS member states, including Nigeria, where general elections are due to be held in February and March 2023.
“Let me seize this opportunity to reiterate my commitment to free, fair and transparent elections and smooth transitions.
“This is one legacy that I want my administration to bequeath, not only to Nigeria but to the region as a whole.
“The vision of the founding fathers of ECOWAS was to have a West Africa that is integrated economically with harmonised policies, enjoying the free movement of persons, goods and services, as well as the seamless right to establishment.
“We must continue to strive harder to attain those objectives.
“Let us take advantage of existing mechanisms and our enterprising population to turn our dreams into reality.
“We have the capacity to do so. Let us collaborate more and remove our outdated physical and psychological boundaries and other colonially-inspired differences so our region can fully attain its full potential.”
