Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland, the Commonwealth Secretary General, has warned Nigerians against allowing those bent on leading the country into violence in the 2023 general elections.
Scotland, who led a high level delegation to Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, noted that Nigeria has inspired the rest of the world by its fortitude and resolve to remain on the path of peace.
While recalling her meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 where he expressed the administration’s readiness to, among others, ensure a smooth democratic transition of power, the Commonwealth leader expressed confidence in the readiness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct Saturday’s poll.
She said that the Commonwealth delegation was in the country to witness and “participate in the celebration of what Nigeria has achieved through the peace commission led by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar”.
Scotland acknowledged that the youths form more than 70 percent of registered voters in this year’s elections, and encouraged all especially “the leaders to pledge to peace so that the country can remain the beacon of hope and tranquility.”
According to her, about 2.5 billion people in Commonwealth countries “are very much ready to applaud you in the next peaceful transition of power from this administration to the next individual who will be President.”
She expressed the Commonwealth’s commitment to do anything in support of the realization of Nigeria’s electoral dream.
On his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, disclosed the federal government’s appreciation of the relationship between Nigeria and the Association.
He maintained that the presence of the delegation would inspire the government to ensure Buhari’s vision for smooth transition of political power is achieved, pointing out that the success of the delegation’s mission is the same as Nigeria’s electoral success in the 2023 exercise.
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