Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has expressed optimism at the smooth conduct of next Saturday’s presidential elections in Nigeria and appealed to all sides to avoid violence after the declaration of results.
Speaking on arrival in Abuja to take charge of the 250-member Observer Mission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), former President Kufuor said the elections would once again test the democratic credentials of Nigerians.
This was contained in a statement issued by his Spokesman, Mr Frank Nana Wadie Agyekum.
The former President said nothing should be left to chance to ensure the success of the elections since Nigeria occupied a strategic and important place in Africa’s geo-politics and appealed to all stakeholders in the elections to play their roles well to ensure its credibility.
Former President Kufuor, who was also leader of the pre-election observer mission of ECOWAS, will meet leaders of the various political parties, the Independent Electoral Commission, heads of missions and civil society organizations before and after the elections.
The elections, the fifth of Africa’s most populous nation since its return to multi-party democracy in 1999, is seen as a straight fight between incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and his People’s Democratic Party and one-time military ruler, General Mohammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress.
Then Vice President Jonathan assumed the presidency in 2010 following the death of President Umaru Yar’Adu.
If there is no clear winner in next Saturday’s election, the constitution calls for a re-run after 14 days.
<<Print>>